INTO  MEXICO 
/-WITH  ^- 


GENERAL  SCOT 

EDWIN  L.SABIN 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH 
GENERAL  SCOTT 


SECOND  IMPRESSION 


The  American  Trail  Blazers 

"THE  STORY  GRIPS  AND  THE  HISTORY  STICKS" 


These  books  present  in  the  form  of  vivid  and  fascinating 
fiction,  the  early  and  adventurous  phases  of  American 
history.  Each  volume  deals  with  the  life  and  adventures 
of  one  of  the  great  men  who  made  that  history,  or  with 
some  one  great  event  in  which,  perhaps,  several  tieroic 
characters  were  involved.  The  stories,  though  based  upon 
accurate  historical  fact,  are  rich  in  color,  full  of  dramatic 
action,  and  appeal  to  the  imagination  of  the  red-blooded 
man  or  boy. 

Each  volume  illustrated  in  color  and  black  and  white. 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 
LOST  WITH  LIEUTENANT  PIKE 

GENERAL  CROOK  AND  THE  FIGHTING 
APACHES 

OPENING  THE  WEST  WITH  LEWIS  AND 
CLARK 

WITH  CARSON  AND  FREMONT 
DANIEL  BOONE:  BACKWOODSMAN 

BUFFALO  BILL  AND  THE  OVERLAND 
TRAIL 

CAPTAIN  JOHN  SMITH 
DAVID  CROCKETT:  SCOUT 
ON  THE  PLAINS  WITH  CUSTER 
GOLD  SEEKERS  OF  '49 
WITH  SAM  HOUSTON  IN  TEXAS 

WITH   GEORGE   WASHINGTON    INTO 
THE  WILDERNESS 


"YOU  YOUNG  RASCAL!  WHAT  is  THE  MEANING  OF  THIS  RACKET?" 

Page  166 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH 
GENERAL  SCOTT 


WHEN  ATTACHED  TO  THE  FOURTH  UNITED  STATES  INFANTRY, 
DIVISION  OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  WILLIAM  J.  WORTH,  CORPS  OF 
THE  FAMOUS  MAJOR-GENERAL  WINFIELD  SCOTT,  KNOWN  AS  OLD 
FUSS  AND  FEATHERS,  CAMPAIGN  OF  1847,  LAD  JERRY  CAMERON 
MARCHED  AND  FOUGHT  BESIDE  SECOND  LIEUTENANT  U.  Sg 
GRANT  ALL  THE  WAY  FROM  VERA  CRUZ  TO  THE  CITY  OF  MEXICO. 
WHERE  SIX  THOUSAND  AMERICAN  SOLDIERS  PLANTED  THE 
STARS  AND  STRIPES  IN  THE  MIDST  OF  ONE  HUNDRED  AND  FIFTY 
THOUSAND  AMAZED  PEOPLE 


BY 

EDWIN  L.  SABIN 

AUTHOR  OF  "LOST  WITH   LIEUTENANT  PIKB,"  "OPENING   THE 
r  WITH  LEWIS  AND  CLARK,"   "BUILDING  THE 
PACIFIC  RAILWAY,"   ETC. 


WITH  ILLUSTRATIONS  BY 
CHARLES  H.  STEPHENS 

PORTRAIT  AND  a  MAPS 


PHILADELPHIA  &  LONDON 
J.  B.  UPPINCOTT  COMPANY 


COPYRIGHT,   I92O,   BY  J.   B.  LIPPINCOTT  COMPANY 


PRINTED   BY  J.    B.    LIPPINCOTT  COMPANY 
AT  THE  WASHINGTON  SQUARE  I 
PHILADELPHIA.   U.  S.  A. 


FOREWORD 

ALTHOUGH  General  Winfield  Scott  was  nick- 
named by  the  soldiers  "  Old  Fuss  and  Feathers,"  they 
intended  no  disrespect.  On  the  contrary,  they  loved 
him,  and  asked  only  that  he  lead  them.  No  general 
ever  lived  who  was  more  popular  with  the  men  in 
the  ranks.  They  had  every  kind  of  confidence  in 
him;  they  knew  that  "Old  Fuss  and  Feathers" 
would  look  out  for  them  like  a  father,  and  would 
take  them  through. 

His  arrival,  all  in  his  showy  uniform,  upon  his 
splendid  horse,  along  the  lines,  was  the  signal  for 
cheers  and  for  the  bands  to  strike  up  "  Hail  to  the 
Chief."  At  bloody  Chapultepec  the  soldiers  crowded 
around  him  and  even  clasped  his  knees,  so  fond  they 
were  of  him.  And  when  he  addressed  them,  tears 
were  in  his  eyes. 

General  Scott  was  close  to  six  feet  six  inches  in 
height,  and  massively  built.  He  was  the  tallest  offi- 
cer in  the  army.  His  left  arm  was  partially  useless, 
by  reason  of  two  wounds  received  in  the  War  of 
1812,  but  in  full  uniform  he  made  a  gallant  sight 
indeed.  He  never  omitted  any  detail  of  the  uni- 
form, because  he  felt  that  the  proper  uniform  was 
required  for  discipline.  He  brooked  no  unnecessary 
slouchiness  among  officers  and  men ;  he  insisted  upon 
regulations  and  hard  drilling,  and  the  troops  that  he 
commanded  were  as  fine  an  army  as  ever  followed 
the  Flag. 

7 

M25175 


FOREWORD 

While  he  was  strict  in  discipline,  he  looked  keenly 
also  after  the  comforts  and  privileges  of  his  soldiers. 
He  realized  that  unless  the  soldier  in  the  ranks  is 
well  cared  for  in  garrison  and  camp  he  will  not  do 
his  best  in  the  field,  and  that  victories  are  won  by  the 
men  who  are  physically  and  mentally  fit.  He  did  not 
succeed  in  doing  away  with  the  old  practice  of  punish- 
ment by  blows  and  by  "  bucking1  and  gagging,"  but 
he  tried ;  and  toward  the  ill  and  the  wounded  he  was 
all  tenderness. 

As  a  tactician  he  stands  high.  His  mind  worked 
with  accuracy.  He  drew  up  every  movement  for 
every  column,  after  his  engineers  had  surveyed  the 
field;  then  he  depended  upon  his  officers  to  follow 
out  the  plans.  His  general  orders  for  the  battle  of 
Cerro  Gordo  are  cited  to-day  as  model  orders.  Each 
movement  took  place  exactly  as  he  had  instructed, 
and  each  movement  brought  the  result  that  he  had 
expected ;  so  that  after  the  battle  the  orders  stood  as  a 
complete  story  of  the  fight. 

His  character  was  noble  and  generous.  He  had 
certain  peculiar  ways — he  spoke  of  himself  as 
"  Scott "  and  like  Sam  Houston  he  used  exalted 
language ;  he  was  proud  and  sensitive,  but  forgiving 
and  quick  to  praise.  He  prized  his  country  above 
everything  else,  and  preferred  peace,  with  honor,  to 
war.  Although  he  was  a  soldier,  such  was  his  justice 
and  firmness  and  good  sense  that  he  was  frequently 
sent  by  the  Government  to  make  peace  without  force 
of  arms,  along  the  United  States  borders.  He  alone 
it  was  who  several  times  averted  war  with  an- 
other nation. 

General  Scott  should  not  be  remembered  mainly 
S 


FOREWORD 

for  his  battles  won.  He  was  the  first  man  of  promi- 
nence in  his  time  to  speak  out  against  drunkenness 
in  the  army  and  in  civil  life.  He  prepared  the  first 
army  regulations  and  the  first  infantry  tactics.  He 
was  the  first  great  commander  to  enforce  martial  law 
in  conquered  territory,  by  which  the  conquered  people 
were  protected  from  abuse.  He  procured  the  pas- 
sage of  that  bill,  in  1838,  which  awarded  to  all  offi- 
cers, except  general  officers  like  himself,  an  increase 
in,  rations  allowance  for  every  five  years  of  service. 
The  money  procured  from  Mexico  was  employed  by 
him  in  buying  blankets  and  shoes  for  his  soldiers  and 
in  helping  the  discharged  hospital  patients;  and 
$118,000  was  forwarded  to  Washington,  to  estab- 
lish an  Army  Asylum  for  disabled  enlisted  men. 
From  this  fund  there  resulted  the  present  system  of 
Soldiers'  Homes. 

The1  Mexican  War  itself  was  not  a  popular  war, 
among  Americans,  many  of  whom  felt  that  it  might 
have  been  avoided.  Lives  and  money  were  expended 
needlessly.  Of  course  Mexico  had  been  badgering 
the  United  States ;  American  citizens  had,  been  mis- 
treated and  could  obtain  no  justice.  But  the  United 
States  troops  really  invaded  when  they  crossed  into 
southwestern  Texas,  for  Mexico  had  her  rights  there. 

The  war,  though,  brought  glory  to  the  American 
soldier.  In  the  beginning  the  standing  army  of  the 
United  States  numbered  only  about  eight  thousand 
officers  and  men,  but  it  was  so  finely  organized  and 
drilled  that  regiment  for  regiment  it  equalled  any 
army  in  the  world.  The  militia  of  the  States  could 
not  be  depended  upon  to  enter  a  foreign  country; 
they  had  to  be  called  upon  as  volunteers.  Mexico 
9 


FOREWORD 

was  prepared  with  thirty  thousand  men  under  arms; 
her  Regulars  were  well  trained,  and  her  regular  army 
was  much  larger  than  the  army  of  the  United  States. 

When  General  Zachary  Taylor,  "  Old  Rough  and 
Ready,'*  advanced  with  his  three  thousand  five  hun- 
dred Regulars  (almost  half  the  United  States  army) 
for  the  banks  of  the  Rio  Grande  River,  he  braved 
a  Mexican  army  of  eight  thousand,  better  equipped 
than  he  was,  except  in  men. 

A  military  maxim  says  that  morale  is  worth 
three  men.  All  through  the  war  it  was  skill  and 
spirit  and  not  numbers  that  counted ;  quality  proved 
greater  than  quantity.  "  Old  Zach,"  with  seventeen 
hundred  Regulars,  beat  six  thousand  Mexican  troops 
at  Resaca  de  la  Palma.  At  Buena  Vista  his  four 
thousand  Volunteers  and  only  four  hundred  and  fifty 
or  five  hundred  Regulars  repulsed  twenty  thousand 
of  the  best  troops  of  Mexico.  General  Scott  reached 
the  City  of  Mexico  with  six  thousand  men  who, 
fighting  five  battles  in  one  day,  had  defeated  thirty 
thousand.  Rarely  has  the  American  soldier,  both 
Regular  and  Volunteer,  so  shone  as  in  that  war 
with  Mexico,  when  the  enemy  outnumbered  three  and 
four  to  one,  and  chose  his  own  positions. 

The  battles  were  fought  with  flint-lock  muskets, 
loaded  by  means  of  a  paper  cartridge,  from  which  the 
powder  and  ball  were  poured  into  the  muzzle  of  the 
piece.  The  American  dragoons  were  better  mounted 
than  the  Mexican  lancers,  and  charged  harder.  The 
artillery  was  the  best  to  be  had  and  was  splendidly 
served  on  both  sides,  but  the  American  guns  were 
the  faster  in  action. 

Thoroughly  trained  officers  and  men  who  had  con- 


FOREWORD 

fidence  in  each  other  and  did  not  know  when  they 
were  beaten,  won  the  war.  Many  of  the  most  famous 
soldiers  in  American  history  had  their  try-out  in 
Mexico,  where  Robert  E.  Lee  and  George  B. 
McClellan  were  young  engineers,  U.  S.  Grant  was  a 
second  lieutenant,  and  Jefferson  Davis  led  the  Missis- 
sippi Volunteers.  The  majority  of  the  regular  offi- 
cers were  West  Pointers.  General  Scott  declared 
that  but  for  the  military  education  afforded  by  the 
Academy  the  war  probably  would  have  lasted  four 
or  five  years,  with  more  defeats  than  victories,  at  first. 

Thus  the  Mexican  War,  like  the  recent  World 
War,  proved  the  value  of  officers  and  men  trained 
to  the  highest  notch  of  efficiency. 

In  killed  and  wounded  the  war  with  Mexico  cost 
the  United  States  forty-eight  hundred  men ;  but  the 
deaths  from  disease  were  twelve  thousand,  for  the 
recruits  and  the  Volunteers  were  not  made  to  take 
care  of  themselves.  In  addition,  nearly  ten  thousand 
soldiers  were  discharged  on  account  of  ruined  health. 
All  in  all  the  cost  of  the  war,  in  citizens,  footed 
twenty-five  thousand.  The  expense  in  money  was 
about  $130,000,000. 

By  the  war  the  United  States  acquired  practically 
all  the  country  west  from  northern  Texas  to  the 
Pacific  Ocean,  which  means  California,  Utah,  Ne- 
vada, the  western  half  of  Colorado  and  most  of  New 
Mexico  and  Arizona.  This,  it  must  be  said,  was  an 
amazing  result,  for  in  the  outset  we  had  claimed  only 
Texas,  as  far  as  the  Rio  Grande  River. 

E.  L.  S. 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGB 

THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 18 

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL  WINFIELD  SCOTT 27 

I.  THE  STAR-SPANGLED  BANNER 37 

II.  A  SURPRISE  FOR  VERA  CRUZ 53 

III.  THE  AMERICANS  GAIN  A  RECRUIT 61 

IV.  JERRY  MAKES  A  TOUR 67 

V.  IN  THE  NAVAL  BATTERY 84 

VI.  SECOND  LIEUTENANT  GRANT 92 

VII.  HURRAH  FOR  THE  RED,  WHITE  AND  BLUE  ! no 

VIII.  INSPECTING  THE  WILD  "  MOHAWKS  " 120 

IX.  THE  HEIGHTS  OF  CERRO  GORDO 130 

X.  JERRY  JOINS  THE  RANKS 146 

XI.  IN  THE  WAKE  OF  THE  FLEEING  ENEMY 154 

XII.  AN  INTERRUPTED  TOILET 164 

XIII.  GETTING  READY  AT  PUEBLA 175 

XIV.  A  SIGHT  OF  THE  GOAL  AT  LAST 188 

XV.  OUTGUESSING   GENERAL  SANTA  ANNA 194 

XVI.  FACING  THE  MEXICAN  HOST 203 

XVII.  CLEARING  THE  ROAD  TO  THE  CAPITAL 218 

XVIII.  IN  THE  CHARGE  AT  CHURUBUSCO 229 

XIX.  BEFORE  THE  BRISTLING  CITY 240 

XX.  THE  BATTLE  OF  THE  KING'S  MILL 250 

XXI.  READY  FOR  ACTION  AGAIN 269 

XXII.  STORMING  CHAPULTEPEC 279 

XXIII.  FORCING  THE  CITY  GATES 291 

XXIV.  IN  THE  HALLS  OF  MONTEZUMA 311 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

"You  Young  Rascal!   What's  the   Meaning  of  all  This 
Racket?  " Frontispiece 

Winfield  Scott — General-in-Chief  of  the  Armies  of  the  United 
States  at  the  Period  of  His  Commanding  in  Mexico. ...     27 

"  And  All  Your  Army  and  Guns  Can't  Keep  Them  Off  "...    46 

"  'Feared  Like  They  Were  Going  to  Ambush  Me  and  Take 
this  Turkey  " 125 

Lieutenant  Grant  Used  this  as  a  Ladder 264 

MAPS 

The  March  to  the  City  of  Mexico 18 

The  Campaign  in  the  Valley  of  Mexico 194 


WORDS  OF  GENERAL  SCOTT 

His  motto  in  life :  "  If  idle,  be  not  solitary ;  if  solitary,  be 
not  idle." 

At  Queenstown  Heights,  1812 :  "  Let  us,  then,  die,  arms  in 
hand.  Our  country  demands  the  sacrifice.  The  example  will 
not  be  lost.  The  blood  of  the  slain  will  make  heroes  of 
the  living." 

At  Chippewa,  July  5,  1814 :  "  Let  us  make  a  new  anniver- 
sary for  ourselves." 

To  the  Eleventh  Infantry  at  Chippewa:  "The  enemy  say 
that  Americans  are  good  at  long  shot,  but  cannot  stand  the 
cold  iron.  I  call  upon  the  Eleventh  instantly  to  give  the  lie 
to  that  slander.  Charge!" 

From  an  inscription  in  a  Peace  Album,  1844 :  "  If  war  be 
the  natural  state  of  savage  tribes,  peace  is  the  first  want  of 
every  civilized  community." 

At  Vera  Cruz,  March,  1847,  when  warned  not  to  expose 
himself :  "  Oh,  generals,  nowadays,  can  be  made  out  of  any- 
body; but  men  cannot  be  had." 

At  Chapultepec,  1847:  "Fellow  soldiers!  You  have  this 
day  been  baptized  in  blood  and  fire,  and  you  have  come 
out  steel! " 

To  the  Virginia  commissioners,  1861 :  "  I  have  served  my 
country  under  the  flag  of  the  Union  for  more  than  fifty  years, 
and,  so  long  as  God  permits  me  to  live,  I  will  defend  that  flag 
with  my  sword,  even  if  my  own  native  State  assails  it" 


THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO  (1846-1847) 

THE  CAUSES 

March  2,  1836,  by  people's  convention  the  Mexican  province 
of  Texas  declares  its  independence  and  its  intention  to  become 
a  republic. 

April  21,  1836,  by  the  decisive  battle  of  San  Jacinto,  Texas 
wins  its  war  for  independence,  in  which  it  has  been  assisted 
by  many  volunteers  from  the  United  States. 

May  14,  1836,  Santa  Anna,  the  Mexican  President  and 
general  who  had  been  captured  after  the  battle,  signs  a  treaty 
acknowledging  the  Texas  Republic,  extending  to  the  Rio 
Grande  River. 

September,  1836,  in  its  first  election  Texas  favors  annexa- 
tion to  the  United  States. 

December,  1836,  the  Texas  Congress  declares  that  the 
southwestern  and  western  boundaries  of  the  republic  are  the 
Rio  Grande  River,  from  its  mouth  to  its  source. 

The  government  of  Mexico  refuses  to  recognize  the  inde- 
pendence of  Texas,  and  claims  that  as  a  province  its  boundary 
extends  only  to  the  Nueces  River,  which  empties  into  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico,  about  120  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the 
Rio  Grande. 

This  spring  and  summer  petitions  have  been  circulated 
through  the  United  States  in  favor  of  recognizing  the  Republic 
of  Texas.  Congress  has  debated  upon  that  and  upon  annexa- 
tion. The  South  especially  desires  the  annexation,  in  order 
to  add  Texas  to  the  number  of  slave-holding  States. 

February,  1837,  President  Andrew  Jackson,  by  message 
to  Congress,  relates  that  Mexico  has  not  observed  a  treaty  of 
friendship  signed  in  1831,  and  has  committed  many  outrages 
upon  the  Flag  and  the  citizens  of  the  United  States;  has 
refused  to  make  payments  for  damages  and  deserves  "im- 
mediate war"  but  should  be  given  another  chance. 

March,  1837,  the  United  States  recognizes  the  independence 
of  the  Texas  Republic. 

Mexico  has  resented  the  support  granted  to  Texas  by 
the  United  States  and  by  American  citizens;  she  insists  that 
18 


THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

Texas  is  still  a  part  of  her  territory;  and  from  this  time 
onward  there  is  constant  friction  between  her  on  the  one  side 
and  Texas  and  the  United  States  on  the  other. 

In  August,  1837,  the  Texas  minister  at  Washington  pre- 
sents a  proposition  from  the  new  republic  for  annexation  to  the 
United  States.  This  being  declined  by  President  Martin 
Van  Buren  in  order  to  avoid  war  with  Mexico,  Texas  decides 
to  wait 

Mexico  continues  to  evade  treaties  by  which  she  should 
pay  claims  against  her  by  the  United  States  for  damages. 
In  December,  1842,  President  John  Tyler  informs  Congress 
that  the  rightful  claims  of  United  States  citizens  have  been 
summed  at  $2,026,079,  with  many  not  yet  included. 

Several  Southern  States  consider  resolutions  favoring  the 
annexation  of  Texas.  The  sympathies  of  both  North  and 
South  are  with  Texas  against  Mexico. 

In  August,  and  again  in  November,  1843,  Mexico  notifies 
the  United  States  that  the  annexation  of  Texas,  which  is  still 
looked  upon  as  only  a  rebellious  province,  will  be  regarded 
as  an  act  of  war. 

October,  1843,  the  United  States  Secretary  of  State  invites 
Texas  to  present  proposals  for  annexation. 

In  December,  1843,  President  Tyler  recommends  to  Con- 
gress that  the  United  States  should  assist  Texas  by  force 
of  arms. 

April  12,  1844,  John  C.  Calhoun,  the  Secretary  of  State, 
concludes  a  treaty  with  Texas,  providing  for  annexation. 
There  is  fear  that  Great  Britain  is  about  to  gain  control  of 
Texas  by  arbitrating  between  it  and  Mexico.  The  treaty  is 
voted  down  by  the  Senate  on  the  ground  that  it  would  mean 
war  with  Mexico,  would  bring  on  a  boundary  dispute,  and 
that  to  make  a  new  State  out  of  foreign  territory  was 
unconstitutional 

Throughout  1844  the  annexation  of  Texas  is  a  burning 
question,  debated  in  Congress  and  by  the  public.  In  the 
presidential  election  this  fall  the  annexation  is  supported  by 
the  Democratic  party  and  opposed  by  the  Whig  party.  The 
Democrats  had  nominated  James  K.  Polk  for  President, 
George  M.  Dallas  for  Vice-President ;  the  Democrats'  cam- 
paign banners  read :  "  Polk,  Dallas  and  Texas  I  "  Polk  and 
Dallas  are  elected. 

March  I,  1845,  a  joint  resolution  of  Congress  inviting 
Texas  into  the  Union  as  a  State  is  signed  by  President  Tyler 
19 


THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

just  before  he  gives  way  to  President-elect  Polk.  The  boun- 
daries of  Texas  are  not  named. 

March  6  General  Almonte,  Mexican  minister  to  the  United 
States,  denounces  the  resolution  as  an  act  of  injustice  to  a 
friendly  nation  and  prepares  to  leave  Washington. 

March  21  orders  are  issued  by  President  Polk  to  General 
Zachary  Taylor  to  make  ready  for  marching  the  troops  at 
Fort  Jesup,  western  I^ouisiana,  into  Texas. 

This  same  month  the  Texas  Secretary  of  State  has  sub- 
mitted to  Mexico  a  treaty  of  peace  by1  which  Mexico  shall 
recognize  the  republic  of  Texas,  if  Texas  shall  not  unite  with 
any  other  power. 

In  May,  this  1845,  Mexico  signs  the  treaty  with  Texas. 

May  28  the  President  of  the  United  States  directs  General 
Taylor  to  prepare  his  command  for  a  prompt  defence  of  Texas. 

June  4  President  Anson  Jones,  of  the  Texas  Republic, 
proclaims  that  by  the  treaty  with  Mexico  hostilities  between 
the  two  countries  have  ended.  But — 

June  15  President  Polk,  through  the  Secretary  of  War, 
directs  General  Taylor  to  move  his  troops  at  once,  as  a 
"  corps  of  observation,"  into  Texas  and  establish  headquarters 
at  a  point  convenient  for  a  further  advance  to  the  Rio  Grande 
River.  A  strong  squadron  of  the  navy  also  is  ordered  to  the 
Mexican  coast.  And — 

June  21  the  Texas  Congress  unanimously  rejects  the 
treaty  with  Mexico,  and  on  June  23  unanimously  accepts  an- 
nexation to  the  United  States. 

July  4,  this  1845,  in  public  convention  the  people  of  Texas 
draw  up  an  annexation  ordinance  and  a  State  constitution. 

On  July  7  Texas  asks  the  United  States  to  protect  her  ports 
and  to  send  an  army  for  her  defence. 

August  3  General  Zachary  Taylor  lands  an  army  of  1500 
men  at  the  mouth  of  the  Nueces  River,  and  presently  makes 
his  encampment  at  Corpus  Christi,  on  the  farther  shore. 

In  October  the  Mexican  Government,  under  President 
Herrera,  agrees  to  receive  a  commissioner  sent  by  the  United 
States  to  discuss  the  dispute  over  Texas,  and  President  Polk 
withdraws  the  ships  that  have  been  stationed  at  Vera  Cruz. 

December  6,  1845,  John  Slidell,  the  envoy  from  the  United 
States,  arrives  in  the  City  of  Mexico  to  adjust  the  matter  of 
Texas  and  also  the  claims  held  by  American  citizens 
against  Mexico. 

The  Mexican  Republic  is  in  the  throes  of  another  revolu- 
20 


THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

tion.  It  declines  to  include  the  claims  in  the  proposed  dis- 
cussion; December  30  President  Herrera  is  ousted  and  Don 
Maria  Paredes,  who  favors  war  rather  than  the  loss  of  Texas, 
becomes  head  of  the  republic.  Minister  Slidell  finally  has  to 
return  home,  in  March,  1846.  But  long  before  this  President 
Polk  had  decided  to  seize  the  disputed  Texas  boundary  strip. 

GENERAL  TAYLOR'S  CAMPAIGN 

January  13,  1846,  General  Taylor  is  directed  by  the  Presi- 
dent to  advance  and  occupy  the  left  or  Texas  bank  of  the  Rio 
Grande  River;  he  has  been  reinforced  by  recruits,  and  is 
authorized  to  apply  to  the  Southern  States  for  volunteer  troops. 

March  8  the  first  detachment  is  started  forward  to  cross  the 
disputed  strip  between  the  Nueces  River  and  the  Rio  Grande. 
Other  detachments  follow.  Part  way  General  Taylor  is  offi- 
cially warned  by  a  Mexican  officer  that  a  farther  advance  will 
be  deemed  a  hostile  act  He  proceeds,  with  his  4000  Regulars 
(half  the  army  of  the  United  States),  and  establishes  a  base 
of  supplies  at  Point  Isabel,  on  the  Gulf  shore,  about  thirty 
miles  this  side  of  the  Rio  Grande  River. 

March  28  the  American  army  of  now  3500  men,  called  the 
Army  of  Occupation,  encamps  a  short  distance  above  the 
mouth  of  the  Rio  Grande  River,  opposite  the  Mexican  town 
of  Matamoros  and  119  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  Nueces. 

The  Mexican  forces  at  Matamoros  immediately  commence 
the  erection  of  new  batteries  and  the  American  force  be- 
gins a  fort. 

April  10  Colonel  Truman  Cross,  assistant  quartermaster 
general  in  the  American  army,  is  murdered  by  Mexican  bandits. 

April  12  General  Ampudia,  of  the  Mexican  forces  at 
Matamoros,  serves  notice  upon  General  Taylor  either  to  with- 
draw within  twenty-four  hours  and  return  to  the  Nueces  out 
of  the  disputed  territory,  or  else  accept  war.  General  Taylor 
replies  that  his  orders  are  for  him  to  remain  here  until  the 
boundary  dispute  is  settled.  He  announced  a  blockade  of  the 
Rio  Grande  River. 

April  19  Second  Lieutenant  Theodoric  Henry  Porter, 
Fourth  Infantry,  is  killed  in  action  with  Mexican  guerillas. 

April  25,  this  1846,  occurs  the  first  battle  of  the  war,  when 

at  La  Rosia  a  squadron  of  sixty-three  Second  Dragoons  under 

Captain  Seth  B.  Thornton,  reconnoitering  up  the  Rio  Grande 

River,  is  surrounded  by  500  Mexican  regular  cavalry.     Sec- 

21 


THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

ond  Lieutenant  George  T.  Mason  and  eight  enlisted  men  are 
killed,  two  men  wounded,  Captain  Thornton,  two  other  officers 
and  forty-six  men  are  captured. 

By  this  victory  the  Mexicans  are  much  elated;  the  flame 
of  war  is  lighted  in  the  United  States. 

May  II  President  Polk  announces  a  state  of  war,  and  a 
bloody  invasion  of  American  soil  by  the  Mexican  forces  that 
had  crossed  the  Rio  Grande. 

May  13  Congress  passes  a  bill  authorizing  men  and  money 
with  which  to  carry  on  the  war,  and  declaring1  that  the  war 
has  been  begun  by  Mexico.  There  were  objections  to  the  bill 
on  the  ground  that  the  President  had  ordered  troops  into  the 
disputed  territory  without  having  consulted  Congress,  and 
that  war  might  have  been  avoided.  But  all  parties  agree  that 
now  they  must  support  the  Flag. 

General  Taylor  calls  on  the  governors  of  Louisiana  and 
Texas  for  5000  volunteers. 

April  28  Captain  Samuel  Walker  and  some  seventy  Texas 
Rangers  and  Volunteers  are  attacked  and  beaten  by  1500 
Mexican  soldiers  near  Point  Isabel,  the  American  base  of  sup- 
plies. Captain  Walker  and  six  men  make  their  way  to  General 
Taylor  with  report  that  his  line  of  communication  has  been  cut. 

May  i,  having  almost  completed  the  fort  opposite  Mata- 
moros  above  the  mouth  of  the  Rio  Grande,  General  Taylor 
leaves  a  garrison  of  1000  men  and  marches  in  haste  to  rescue 
his  supplies  at  Point  Isabel.  The  Mexican  troops  are  appear- 
ing in  great  numbers,  and  matters  look  serious  for  the  little 
American  army. 

May  3  the  Mexican  forces  at  Matamoros  open  fire  upon 
the  fort,  thinking  that  General  Taylor  has  retreated. 

May  8  General  Taylor,  hurrying  back  to  the  relief  of  the 
fort,  with  his  2300  men  defeats  6500  Mexicans  under  General 
Arista  in  the  artillery  battle  of  Palo  Alto  or  Tall  Timber, 
fought  amidst  the  thickets  and  prairie  grasses  about  sixteen 
miles  from  Point  Isabel.  American  loss,  four  killed,  forty 
wounded ;  Mexican  loss,  more  than  100  in  killed  alone. 

The  next  day,  May  9,  "Old  Rough  and  Ready"  again 
defeats  General  Arista  in  the  battle  of  Resaca  -de  la  Palma, 
or  Palm  Draw  (Ravine),  a  short  distance  from  Palo  Alto. 
Having  withstood  a  fierce  bombardment  of  seven  days  the  fort, 
soon  named  Fort  Brown,  of  present  Brownsville,  Texas,  is  safe. 
The  Mexican  forces  all  flee  wildly  across  the  Rio  Grande  River. 

May  18  General  Taylor  throws  his  army  across  the  river 

22 


THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

by  help  of  one  barge,  and  occupies  Matamoros.  Here  he 
awaits  supplies  and  troops. 

August  20  he  begins  his  advance  into  Mexico  for  the  cap- 
ture of  the  city  of  Monterey,  150  miles  from  the  Rio  Grande 
River  and  800  miles  from  the  City  of  Mexico. 

Meanwhile  General  Paredes,  president  of  Mexico,  has 
been  deposed  by  another  revolution,  and  General  Santa  Anna 
has  been  called  back. 

September  21-22-23  General  Taylor  with  his  6600  men 
assaults  the  fortified  city  Monterey,  in  the  Sierra  Madre 
Mountains  of  northeastern  Mexico,  and  defended  by  10,000 
Mexican  soldiers  under  General  Ampudia. 

September  24  the  city  is  surrendered.  American  loss,  120 
officers  and  men  killed,  368  wounded;  Mexican  loss,  more 
than  1000. 

General  Taylor  proceeds  to  occupy  northeastern  Mexico. 
In  November  he  receives  orders  to  detach  4000  men,  half  of 
whom  shall  be  Regulars,  for  the  reinforcement  of  General 
Scott's  expedition  against  Vera  Cruz. 

February  22,  1847,  with  4300  Volunteers  and  450  Regulars 
he  encounters  the  full  army  of  General  Santa  Anna,  20,000  men- 
at  the  narrow  mountain  pass  of  Buena  Vista,  near  Saltillo 
seventy-five  miles  southwest  of  Monterey. 

The  American  army,  holding  the  pass,  awaits  the  attack. 
In  the  terrible  battle  begun  in  the  afternoon  of  February  22 
and  waged  all  day  February  23,  the  Mexican  troops  are  re- 
pulsed; and  by  the  morning  of  February  24  they  have 
retreated  from  the  field.  American  loss,  267  killed,  456 
wounded,  23  missing;  Mexican  loss,  2000. 

The  battle  of  Buena  Vista  leaves  the  American  forces  in 
possession  of  northeastern  Mexico.  General  Santa  Anna  now 
hastens  to  confront  General  Scott  and  save  the  City  of 
Mexico.  General  Taylor  returns  to  Louisiana,  and  there  is  no 
further  need  for  his  services  in  the  field. 

GENERAL  SCOTT'S  CAMPAIGN 

March  9,  1847,  General  Winfield  Scott,  with  the  assistance 
of  the  naval  squadron  under  Commodore  Conner,  lands  his 
Army  of  Invasion,  12,000  men  transferred  in  sixty-seven 
surf-boats,  upon  the  beach  three  miles  below  the  fortified  city 
of  Vera  Cruz,  without  loss  or  accident. 

In  spite  of  shot  and  shell  and  terrific  wind  storms  the 

23 


THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

army  advances  its  trenches  and  guns  to  within  800  yards  of  the 
city  walls.  On  March  22  the  bombardment  of  Vera  Cruz 
is  begun. 

March  27  the  surrender  of  the  city  and  of  the  great 
island  fort  San  Juan  de  Ulloa  is  accepted.  The  siege  has  been 
so  scientifically  conducted  that  5000  military  prisoners  and 
400  cannon  are  taken  with  the  loss  to  the  American  forces  of 
only  sixty-four  officers  and  men  killed  and  wounded. 

Having  been  detained  at  Vera  Cruz  by  lack  of  wagons 
and  teams,  on  April  8  General  Scott  starts  his  first  detach- 
ment for  Mexico  City,  280  miles  by  road  westward. 

April  12,  arrangements  being  completed,  he  hastens  to  the 
front  himself  and  is  received  with  cheers  for  "  Old  Fuss 
and  Feathers  "  all  along  the  way. 

April  18  storms  and  captures  the  heights  of  Cerro  Gordo, 
sixty  miles  inland,  where  his  8000  men  are  opposed  by  12,000 
under  Santa  Anna.  Three  thousand  prisoners,  among  them 
five  generals,  are  taken;  5000  stands  of  arms  and  forty-three 
pieces  of  artillery.  American  loss,  431,  thirty-three  being 
officers;  Mexican  casualties,  over  1000. 

April  19  he  occupies  the  town  of  Jalapa,  fifteen  miles 
onward.  April  22  the  castle  of  Perote,  some  fifty  miles  far- 
ther, is  captured  without  a  struggle.  On  May  15  the  advance 
division  of  4300  men  enters  the  city  of  Puebla,  185  miles  from 
Vera  Cruz.  In  two  months  General  Scott  has  taken  10,000 
prisoners  of  war,  700  cannon,  10,000  stands  of  small-arms, 
30,000  shells  and  solid  shot. 

The  term  of  enlistment  of  4000  twelve-months  Volun- 
teers being  almost  expired,  he  waits  in  Puebla  for  rein- 
forcements. 

August  7  he  resumes  the  march  for  the  Mexican  capital, 
ninety-five  miles.  His  force  numbers  10,800,  and  he  needs 
must  cut  loose  from  communications  with  Vera  Cruz,  his  base. 

August  9,  from  Rio  Frio  Pass,  elevation  10,000  feet,  on  the 
summit  of  the  main  mountain  range  of  Mexico,  the  army  gazes 
down  into  the  Valley  of  Mexico,  with  the  city  of  Mexico 
visible,  thirty-five  miles  distant. 

By  a  new  and  difficult  route  he  avoids  the  defences  of  the 
main  road  to  the  city,  and  on  August  18  has  approached  to 
within  nine  miles  and  striking  distance  of  the  outer  circle 
of  batteries. 

August  19-20,  by  day  and  night  attack,  3500  Americans 
carry  the  strong  entrenchments  of  Contreras  defended  by 
24 


THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

7000  Mexicans.     American  loss,  in  killed  and  wounded,  60; 
Mexican  casualties,  700  killed,  1000  wounded. 

The  ,same  day,  August  20,  1847,  the  outpost  of  San 
Antonio  is  taken,  the  high  citadel  of  Churubusco  stormed. 
There  are  five  separate  actions,  all  victorious,  and  the  dra- 
goons charge  four  miles  to  the  very  gates  of  the  city.  Thirty- 
two  thousand  men  have  been  defeated  by  8000.  The  total 
Mexican  loss  is  4000  killed  and  wounded,  3000  prisoners,  in- 
cluding eight  generals;  the  American  loss  is  1052,  of  whom 
seventy-six  are  officers. 

August  21  President  and  General  Santa  Anna  proposes 
an  armistice. 

September  7  the  armistice  is  broken  and  General  Scott 
resumes  his  advance  upon  the  city. 

September  8  the  General  Worth  division,  reinforced  to 
3000  men,  in  a  bloody  battle  captures  the  outpost  Molino  del 
Rey  or  King's  Mill,  and  the  Casa-Mata  supporting  it — the  two 
being  defended  by  14,000  Mexicans.  American  loss,  killed, 
wounded  and  missing  is  789,  including  fifty-eight  officers. 
The  Mexican  loss  is  in  the  thousands. 

September  12,  by  a  feint  the  Scott  army  of  7000  able- 
bodied  men  is  concentrated  before  the  Castle  of  Chapultepec, 
situated  upon  a  high  hill  fortified  from  base  to  summit  and 
crowned  by  the  Military  College  of  Mexico,  with  its  garrison 
of  cadets  and  experienced  officers. 

September  13  Chapultepec  is  stormed  and  seized ;  the  road 
to  the  city  is  opened,  the  suburbs  are  occupied  and  the  General 
Quitman  division  has  forced  the  Belen  gateway  into  the  city 
itself.  Twenty  thousand  Mexicans  have  been  routed. 

At  daybreak  of  September  14  the  city  council  of  Mexico 
informs  General  Scott  that  the  Mexican  Government  and  army 
have  fled.  At  seven  o'clock  the  Stars  and  Stripes  are  raised 
over  the  National  Palace  and  the  American  army  of  6000 
proceeds  to  enter  the  grand  plaza. 

This  fall  of  1847  there  is  still  some  fighting  in  the  country 
along  the  National  Road  between  Vera  Cruz  and  the  City  of 
Mexico,  and  the  fleeing  Santa  Anna  attacks  Puebla  in  vain. 

February  2,  1848,  a  treaty  of  peace  is  signed  at  Guada- 
loupe  Hidalgo  by  the  United  States  commissioner  and  the 
Mexican  commissioners. 

May  30,  1848,  the  treaty  of  Guadaloupe  Hidalgo  is  ratified 
by  both  parties. 

June  19,  1848,  peace  is  formally  declared  by  President 
Polk,  who  on  July  4  signs  the  treaty. 


THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

OTHER  CAMPAIGNS 

At  the  end  of  June,  1846,  the  Army  of  the  West,  composed 
of  2500  Volunteers  and  200  First  Dragoons,  under  General 
Stephen  W.  Kearny,  leaves  Fort  Leavenworth  on  the  Missouri 
River  to  march  1000  miles  and  seize  New  Mexico. 

August  18  General  Kearny  enters  the  capital,  Santa  Fe, 
and  takes  possession  of  New  Mexico. 

This  same  month  the  Army  of  the  Center,  2500  Volunteers 
and  500  Regulars  under  General  John  E.  Wool,  assembles 
at  San  Antonio  of  Texas  for  a  march  westward  to  seize 
Chihuahua,  northwestern  Mexico,  distant  400  miles. 

General  Wool  is  ordered  to  join  General  Scott;  but  in 
December,  1846,  Colonel  A.  W.  Doniphan,  of  the  Missouri 
Volunteers  of  the  Kearny  army,  leaves  Santa  Fe  with  800 
men  to  march  to  Chihuahua,  550  miles,  and  reinforce  him. 

December  25  he  defeats  General  Ponce  de  Leon,  command- 
ing 500  Mexican  regular  lancers  and  800  Chihuahua  volunteers, 
in  the  battle  of  Brazitos,  southern  New  Mexico. 

February  28,  1848,  in  the  battle  of  Sacramento,  he  defeats 
General  Heredia  and  4000  men,  entrenched  on  the  road  to 
Chihuahua.  American  loss,  one  killed,  eleven  wounded;  Mexi- 
can loss,  320  killed,  over  400  wounded. 

On  March  i  the  American  advance  enters  the  city  of 
Chihuahua. 

Meanwhile,  during  all  these  events,  on  July  7,  1846, 
Commodore  John  D.  Sloat,  of  the  navy's  Pacific  Squadron,  has 
hoisted  the  Flag  over  Monterey,  the  capital  of  Upper  Califor- 
nia. The  explorer,  John  C.  Fremont,  already  has  supported 
an  uprising  of  Americans  in  the  north,  and  the  flag  is  raised 
at  San  Francisco  and  Sacramento. 

On  September  25  (1846)  General  Kearny  starts  from  Santa 
Fe  with  400  First  Dragoons  to  occupy  California,  noo  miles 
westward.  On  the  way  he  learns  that  California  has  been 
taken.  He  proceeds  with  only  100  Dragoons.  A  battalion  of 
500  Mormons  enlisted  at  Fort  Leavenworth  is  following. 

December  12  he  arrives  at  San  Diego,  California,  and 
forthwith  military  rule  is  established  in  California. 


WINFIELD   SCOTT 

General-in-Chief  of  the  Armies  of  the  United  States  at  the  Period  of  his  Commanding 
in  Mexico.     From  the  Picture  by  Chappel 


LIEUTENANT-GENERAL 
•      WINFIELD  SCOTT 

"  OLD  Fuss  AND  FEATHERS  " 

Born  on  the  family  farm,  fourteen  miles  from  Petersburg, 
Virginia,  June  13,  1786. 

His  father,  William  Scott,  of  Scotch  blood,  a  captain  in 
the  Revolution  and  a  successful  farmer,  dies  when  Winfield 
is  only  six  years  old.  Until  he  is  seventeen  the  boy  is  brought 
up  by  his  mother,  Ann  Mason,  for  whose  brother,  Winfield 
Mason,  he  is  named.  All  the  Scott  family  connections  were 
prominent  and  well-to-do. 

Winfield  is  given  a  good  education.  When  he  is  twelve  he 
enters  the  boarding-school  of  James  Hargrave,  a  worthy 
Quaker,  who  said  to  him  after  the  War  of  1812:  "Friend 
Winfield,  I  always  told  thee  not  to  fight;  but  as  thou  wouldst 
fight,  I  am  glad  that  thou  weren't  beaten."  When  he  is  seven- 
teen he  enters  the  school,  of  high-school  grade,  conducted  in 
Richmond,  Virginia,  by  James  Ogilvie,  a  talented  Scotchman. 
Here  he  studied  Latin  and  Greek,  rhetoric,  Scotch  metaphysics, 
logic,  mathematics  and  political  economy. 

In  1805,  when  he  is  approaching  nineteen,  he  enters 
William  and  Mary  College,  of  Virginia.  Here  he  studies 
chemistry,  natural  and  experimental  philosophy,  and  law, 
expecting  to  become  a  lawyer. 

This  same  year  he  leaves  college  and  becomes  a  law 
student  in  the  office  of  David  Robinson,  in  Petersburg.  He 
has  two  companion  students :  Thomas  Ruffin  and  John  F.  May. 
The  three  lads  all  rose  high.  Thomas  Ruffin  became  chief 
justice  of  North  Carolina;  John  May  became  leader  of  the  bar 
in  southern  Virginia;  Winfield  Scott  became  head  of  the 
United  States  Army. 

In  1806  he  is  admitted  to  the  bar  and  rides  his  first 
circuit  in  Virginia.  At  Richmond,  in  1807,  he  hears  the  argu- 
ments by  the  greatest  legal  orators  of  the  day  in  the  trial 
of  ex- Vice- President  Aaron  Burr  for  high  treason. 

While  the  trial  is  in  progress  the  British  frigate  Leopard 

enforces  the  right  of  search  upon  the  United  States  frigate 

Chesapeake,  off  the  capes  of  Virginia.     On  July  2  (1807) 

President  Thomas  Jefferson  forbids  the  use  of  the  United 

27 


WINFIELD  SCOTT 

States  harbors  and  rivers  by  the  vessels  of  Great  Britain,  and 
volunteer  guards  are  called  for  to  patrol  the  shores. 

Young  Lawyer  Scott,  now  twenty-one  years  of  age, 
becomes,  as  he  says,  "a  soldier  in  a  night."  Between  sunset 
and  sunrise  he  travels  by  horse  twenty-five  miles,  from  Rich- 
mond to  Petersburg,  and  having  borrowed  the  uniform  of 
a  tall  absent  trooper  and  bought  the  horse  he  joins  the  first 
parade  of  the  Petersburg  volunteer  cavalry. 

While  lance  corporal  in  charge  of  a  picket  guard  on  the 
shore  of  Lynnhaven  Bay  he  captures  a  boat  crew  of  six  sailors 
under  two  midshipmen,  coming  in  from  Admiral  Sir  Thomas 
Hardy's  British  squadron  for  water.  The  Government  orders 
him  to  release  the  prisoners,  and  not  to  do  such  a  trick  again, 
which  might  bring  on  war. 

England  having  made  amends  for  the  attack  upon  the 
Chesapeake  the  volunteers  are  disbanded.  Corporal  Scott  re- 
sumes his  practice  of  law.  On  Christmas  Eve,  1807,  he  arrives 
in  Charleston,  South  Carolina,  to  practice  there.  But  he  hears 
that  war  with  Great  Britain  is  again  likely*  Thereupon  he 
hastens  to  Washington  and  applies  for  a  commission  in  the 
increased  regular  army.  He  is  promised  a  captaincy. 

The  Peace  Party  in  the  United  States  gains  the  upper 
hand  over  the  War  Party.  In  March,  1808,  Lawyer  Scott 
returns  to  Petersburg  without  his  commission. 

May  3,  1808,  he  receives  his  commission  at  last,  and  is 
appointed  to  a  captaincy  in  the  regiment  of  light  or  flying  artil- 
lery then  being  raised.  He  recruits  his  company  from  Peters- 
burg and  Richmond  youths  and  is  ordered  to  New  Orleans. 
For  the  next  fifty-three  years  he  is  a  soldier,  and  he  outlives 
every  other  officer  of  1808. 

After  a  voyage  of  two  months  in  a  sailing  vessel  he  arrives 
at  New  Orleans  April  i,  1809. 

The  trouble  with  Great  Britain  having  quieted  down  this 
summer,  he  despairs  of  seeing  active  service  and  attempts  to 
resign.  While  in  New  Orleans  he  has  said  that  he  believed 
General  James  Wilkinson,  commanding  that  department,  to 
have  been  a  partner  of  Aaron  Burr  in  the  conspiracy  against 
the  United  States  government.  Now  when  he  arrives  in  Vir- 
ginia he  hears  that  he  is  accused  of  having  left  the  army 
through  fear  of  punishment  for  his  words.  So  he  immediately 
turns  about  and  goes  back  to  face  the  charges.  He  rejoins 
the  army  at  Washington,  near  Natchez,  Mississippi, 
in  November. 

28 


WINFIELD  SCOTT 

In  1810  he  is  court-martialed  under  the  Articles  of  War 
and  found  guilty  of  "conduct  unbecoming  a  gentleman,"  in 
having  spoken  disrespectfully  of  his  commanding  officer.  He 
is  sentenced  to  twelve  months'  suspension  from  duties,  with 
the  recommendation  that  nine  of  the  months  be  remitted. 

Under  this  sentence  he  returns  to  Petersburg.  He  spends 
every  evening,  when  at  home,  reading  English  literature  with 
his  friend  Benjamin  Watkins  Leigh,  in  whose  family  he  is 
staying.  His  motto  is:  "If  idle,  be  not  solitary;  if  solitary, 
be  not  idle."  During  this  period  he  again  despairs  of  seeing 
active  service ;  but  he  writes :  "  Should  war  come  at  last,  who 
knows  but  that  I  may  yet  write  my  history  with  my  sword  ?  " 

In  the  fall  of  1811  he  rejoins  the  army  at  department  head- 
quarters at  Baton  Rouge,  Louisiana,  having  made  the  journey 
by  land  over  a  new  road  through  the  country  of  the  Creeks 
and  Choctaws. 

This  winter  of  1811-1812  he  is  appointed  superior  judge- 
advocate  for  the  trial  of  a  prominent  colonel  He  also  serves 
upon  the  staff  of  Brigadier  General  Wade  Hampton,  com- 
mander of  the  Southern  Department,  and  is  much  in 
New  Orleans. 

The  inactive  life  of  a  soldier  in  peace  palls  upon  him.  In 
February,  1812,  the  news  arrives  that  Congress  has  authorized 
an  increase  of  the  regular  army  by  25,000  men.  This  looks 
like  war.  May  20,  as  a  member  of  General  Hampton's  staff, 
he  embarks  with  the  general  for  Washington.  Upon  entering 
Chesapeake  Bay  their  ship  passes  a  British  frigate  standing 
on  and  off ;  in  less  than  an  hour  they  pass  a  pilot  boat  bring- 
ing to  the  frigate  the  message  that  the  United  States  has 
declared  for  war  with  Great  Britain.  Thus  by  a  narrow 
margin  they  have  escaped  capture  by  the  frigate. 

July  6,  1812,  is  appointed  lieutenant-colonel,  Second 
Artillery,  at  the  age  of  twenty-six. 

Is  ordered  with  his  regiment  to  the  Canadian  border; 
reports  at  Buffalo  October  4,  1812. 

On  October  13  leads  450  regulars  and  militia  in  a  final 
attack  upon  Queenstown  Heights,  opposite  Lewiston,  New 
York.  The  Heights  are  held  by  a  greatly  superior  force  of 
British  regulars  and  militia  and  500  Indians.  The  United 
States  militia  left  on  the  American  side  of  the  Niagara  River 
refused  to  cross  and  support,  and  the  attack  failed  for  lack 
of  reinforcements.  There  were  no  boats  for  retreat;  two 
flags  of  truce  had  been  unheeded;  with  his  own  hand  young 
29 


WINFIELD  SCOTT 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Scott,  tall  and  powerful  and  wearing  a 
showy  uniform  ("I  will  die  in  my  robes,"  he  said),  bears 
the  third  flag  forward  into  the  faces  of  the  raging  Indians 
to  save  his  men.  He  is  rescued  with  difficulty  by  British  offi- 
cers. After  the  surrender  he  is  held  prisoner  with  the 
other  Regulars  until  paroled  on  November  20  and  sent 
to  Boston. 

In  January,  1813,  is  released  from  parole.  Is  ordered  to 
Philadelphia  to  command  a  double  battalion  of  twenty- 
two  companies. 

March  12,  1813,  promoted  to  colonel,  Second  Artillery. 

March  18,  appointed  adjutant  general,  rank  of  colonel. 

May,  1813,  appointed  chief  of  staff  to  Major-General  Henry 
Dearborn  on  the  Niagara  frontier,  New  York,  and  reorganizes 
the  staff  departments  of  the  Army. 

May  27  commands  the  advance  again  in  the  attack  on 
Fort  George,  Canada.  Every  fifth  man  is  killed  or  wounded. 
By  the  explosion  of  a  powder  magazine  his  collar-bone  is 
broken  and  he  is  badly  bruised ;  but  he  is  the  first  to  enter 
the  fort  and  he  himself  hauls  down  the  colors. 

July  18  he  resigns  his  adjutant  generalcy  in  order  to 
be  with  his  regiment  as  colonel.  Leads  in  several  success- 
ful skirmishes. 

March  9,  1814,  aged  twenty-eight,  is  appointed  brigadier- 
general.  He  has  become  noted  as  a  student  of  war — a  skilful 
tactician  and  a  fine  disciplinarian.  At  the  Buffalo  headquar- 
ters he  is  set  at  work  instructing  the  officers.  The  United 
States  has  no  military  text-book,  but  he  has  read  the*  French 
system  of  military  training  and  employs  that 

July  3,  1814,  leads  with  his  brigade  to  the  attack  upon 
Fort  Erie,  opposite  Buffalo.  Leaps  from  the  first  boat  into 
water  over  his  head,  and  laden  with  sword,  epaulets,  cloak 
and  high  boots  swims  for  his  life  under  a  hot  fire,  until  he 
can  be  hauled  in  again.  The  fort  is  captured. 

July  4,  again  leading  his  brigade  he  drives  the  enemy  back 
sixteen  miles. 

July  5  fights  and  wins  the  decisive  battle  of  Chippewa 
against  a  much  superior  force.  The  war  on  the  land  had 
been  going  badly  for  the  United  States.  Now  the  victory 
of  Chippewa  s-ets  bonfires  to  blazing  and  bells  to  ringing 
throughout  all  the  Rtpublic;  the  American  army  had  proved 
itself  with  the  bayonet  and  General  Scott  is  hailed  as  the 
National  hero. 

30 


WINFIELD  SCOTT 

July  25  he  distinguishes  himself  again  in  the  night  battle 
of  Niagara  or  Lundy's  Lane.  He  is  twice  dismounted,  and 
is  bruised  by  a  spent  cannon  ball.  Receives  an  ounce  musket 
ball  through  the  left  shoulder  and  is  insensible  for  a  time. 
Is  borne  from  the  field  in  an  ambulance. 

July  25  bre vetted  major-general  for  gallantry  at  Chippewa 
and  Lundy's  Lane. 

The  wound  in  his  shoulder  refuses  to  heal  properly.  He  is 
invalided  and  is  unable  to  take  part  in  further  active  service 
for  the  rest  of  the  war.  Travels  upon  a  mattress  in  a  carriage. 
Stops  at  Princeton  College  on  Commencement  Day,  is  given  an 
ovation  and  the  degree  of  Master  of  Arts.  Congress  votes 
him  a  special  gold  medal;  the  States  of  Virginia  and  New 
York  vote  him  each  a  sword.  His  wound  slowly  heals  under 
treatment  by  noted  surgeons,  but  leaves  him  with  a  left  arm 
partially  paralyzed. 

He  is  placed  in  charge  of  operations  in  defence  of  Balti- 
more and  is  made  president  of  the  National  Board  of  Tactics, 
sitting  in  Washington. 

After  the  close  of  the  war  he  presides,  May,  1815,  upon 
the  board  convened  to  reduce  the  army. 

Declines  to  accept  the  office  of  Secretary  of  War. 

July,  1815,  sails  for  Europe,  where  he  witnesses  the  re- 
views of  600,000  soldiers,  following  the  defeat  of  Napoleon  by 
the  allied  troops.  He  meets  distinguished  commanders  and 
statesmen  of  the  Old  World,  and  is  awarded  many  honors. 

Returning  from  Europe  in  1816  he  marries  Miss  Maria 
Mayo,  of  Richmond,  Virginia.  Seven  children — five  girls  and 
two  boys — were  born.  Of  these,  four  died  early  in  life. 

As  brigadier-general,  in  1818,  he  begins  the  preparation  of 
a  system  of  General  Regulations  or  Military  Institutes  for  the 
United  States  Army.  This  was  approved  of  by  the  War 
Department  and  Congress. 

September  22,  1824,  he  writes  and  has  printed  "  A  Scheme 
for  Restricting  the  Use  of  Ardent  Spirits  in  the  United  States." 
This  essay  was  the  basis  of  the  temperance  movement  in 
the  country. 

In  1824  is  president  of  the  Board  of  Infantry  Tactics, 
meeting  at  West  Point. 

In  1826  is  president  of  a  board  of  militia  officers  and 
regular  officers,  convened  at  Washington  to  devise  an  organ- 
ization and  system  of  tactics  for  the  militia  of  the  United  States. 

In  1828,  whiU  inspecting  the  Indian  frontier  of  Arkansas 


WINFIELD  SCOTT 

and  Louisiana,  is  approved  of  by  the  cabinet  for  appointment 
to  commander-in-chief  of  the  army,  but  loses  to  General 
Alexander  Macomb. 

In  the  summer  of  1832  is  ordered  from  his  Eastern  De- 
partment to  proceed  in  person  against  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  under 
Chief  Blackhawk,  in  northern  Illinois  and  southern  Wisconsin. 
The  cholera  is  raging  in  the  Great  Lakes  region.  Before  leav- 
ing New  York  he  takes  instructions  from  a  doctor,  and  when 
his  force  is  attacked  by  the  disease  on  the  boats  he  himself 
applies  the  remedies  and  prevents  a  panic. 

Arrives  at  Fort  Crawford,  Prairie  du  Chien,  Wisconsin, 
after  Blackhawk's  surrender.  Descends  the  Mississippi  to 
Fort  Armstrong,  on  Rock  Island,  and  holds  grand  council 
with  the  Sacs,  Foxes,  Sioux,  Menominees  and  Winnebagos. 
Is  congratulated  by  the  Secretary  of  War  for  his  services  and 
his  high  moral  courage  in  combating  the  cholera. 

On  his  way  home  to  West  Point  he  narrowly  escapes  a 
severe  attack  of  the  cholera  himself. 

November,  1832,  is  sent  to  South  Carolina,  which  has 
threatened  to  secede  unless  the  tariff  laws  of  the  Government 
are  modified  General  Scott  takes  command  in  Charleston, 
and  by  his  firmness  and  good  sense  among  his  fellow  South- 
erners averts  civil  war. 

In  1834-1835  translates  and  revises  the  new  French  infan- 
try tactics  for  use  by  the  United  States.  These,  known  as 
"  Scott's  Infantry  Tactics,"  were  the  first  complete  tactics 
adop«d  by  the  army  and  were  used  up  to  1863. 

January  20,  1836,  is  directed  by  the  President  to  proceed 
against  the  Seminole  Indians  of  Florida.  Asked  at  four  in 
the  afternoon  when  he  could  start,  he  says:  "This  night." 
Through  failure  of  supplies  and  by  reason  of  the  short-time 
enlistment  of  the  majority  of  the  troops,  the  campaign  is  unsuc- 
cessful. For  this,  and  for  a  similar  delay  in  a  march  against 
the  Creeks,  he  is  court-martialed  by  order  of  President  Jackson. 
The  court  approves  of  his  campaign  plans  and  acquits  him. 
Returning  to  his  headquarters  in  New  York  he  is  tendered 
a  public  dinner  April,  1837.  This  he  declines. 

January,  1838,  is  ordered  to  the  Niagara  frontier  again, 
where  misguided  Americans  and  Canadians  are  attempting 
a  movement  to  annex  Canada  to  the  United  States.  In  dead  of 
winter  he  travels  back  and  forth  along  the  American  border, 
quieting  the  people  by  his  words  and  the  force  of  his  presence. 

In  the  spring  of  this  1838  he  is  sent  into  Alabama  to 
32 


WINFIELD  SCOTT 

remove  the  Cherokee  Indians  to  new  lands  given  them  by 
treaty,  west  of  the  Mississippi  River.  The  Indians  had  refused 
to  go,  but  by  using  reason  and  gentleness  he  avoids  bloodshed 
and  persuades  them  to  move  of  their  own  accord. 

In  February,  1839,  is  sent  by  the  President  as  special 
agent  to  northern  Maine,  where  the  State  of  Maine  and  the 
Canadian  province  of  New  Brunswick  are  in  arms  against  each 
other  over  a  dispute  upon  the  boundary  between.  Again  by 
his  rare  good  judgment  and  by  his  influence  with  the  authori- 
ties upon  either  side,  he  averts  what  might  easily  have  resulted 
in  another  war. 

In  1840  he  is  proposed  as  the  Whig  candidate  for  Presi- 
dent but  he  declines  in  favor  of  General  William  Henry 
Harrison,  who  is  elected. 

June  25,  1841,  appointed  full  major-general. 

July  5,  1841,  appointed  chief  of  the  Army,  a  position  that 
he  occupies  for  twenty  years. 

From  1841  to  1846  is  busied  with  the  duties  of  his  office. 
He  aims  to  enforce  justice  and  discipline  among  the  rank  and 
file.  August,  1842,  he  issues  general  orders  forbidding  the 
practice  of  officers  striking  enlisted  men  and  cursing  them,  and 
directs  that  in  cases  of  offense  the  regulations  of  the  service 
be  employed. 

In  the  summer  and  fall  of  1846,  believing  that  the  cam- 
paign by  General  Zachary  Taylor  to  conquer  Mexico  by  in- 
vasion from  the  Rio  Grande  River  border  cannot  succeed,  he 
advises  an  advance  upon  the  City  of  Mexico  from  Vent  Cruz 
on  the  Gulf.  He  asks  permission  to  lead  the  army  in  person. 

November  23,  1846,  he  is  directed  by  the  Secretary  of 
War  to  conduct  the  new  campaign. 

Leaves  Washington  for  New  Orleans  November  25. 

In  his  absence  a  bill  is  introduced  in  Congress  to  create 
the  rank  of  lieutenant-general,  and  thus  place  over  him  a 
superior  officer.  This  movement  for  politics  was  defeated, 
but  General  Scott  felt  that  he  had!  "an  enemy  in  his  rear." 

Under  these  conditions  he  goes  to  meet  General  Taylor 
at  the  Rio  Grande  in  January,  1847,  and  detaches  a  portion 
of  the  forces  for  the  Vera  Cruz  campaign.  This  makes  an 
enemy  of  General  Taylor. 

February   19,    1847,   he   issues   general   orders   declaring 
martial  law   in  Mexico,  for  the  purpose  of  restraining  the 
Volunteers  from  abusing  the  people  of  the  conquered  terri- 
tory.   This  wins  over  the  natives  and  restores  discipline. 
3  33 


WINFIELD  SCOTT 

March  9  to  September  14,  1847,  he  conducts  the  campaign 
by  which  the  City  of  Mexico  is  captured. 

September  14,  1847,  to  February  18,  1848,  he  remains  in 
,  charge  of  the  military  government  in  Mexico.  By  his  en- 
forcement of  martial  law  that  respects  the  persons  and  prop- 
erty of  the  Mexican  people  he  gains  the  leaders'  confidence. 
He  is  proposed  for  dictator  of  the  Mexican  Republic,  with 
a  view  to  annexation  to  the  United  States,  but  declines. 

February  18,  1848,  he  receives  orders  from  President  Polk 
to  turn  over  his  command  to  Major-General  William  O.  Butler, 
and  report  for  trial  by  a  court  of  inquiry,  on  charges  that  he 
had  unjustly  disciplined  Generals  Quitman  and  Pillow,  and 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Duncan.  He  is  acquitted. 

March  9,  by  joint  resolution  of  Congress,  he  is  voted  the 
National  thanks  for  himself  and  his  officers  and  men,  and 
the  testimony  of  a  specially  struck  gold  medal  in  appreciation 
of  his  "valor,  skill  and  judicious  conduct" 

May  20,  1848,  he  arrives  home  to  his  family  at  Elizabeth, 
near  Philadelphia. 

Is  assigned  to  command  of  the  Eastern  Department  of  the 
Army,  with  headquarters  in  New  York. 

In  1850,  after  the  death  of  President  Taylor,  he  resumes 
his  post  in  Washington  as  commander-in-chief  of  the  Army. 

In  1850  he  is  awarded  the  honorary  degree  of  LL.D.  by 
Columbia  College  (University). 

June,  1852,  he  is  nominated  by  the  Whig  party  for  Presi- 
dent. He  is  opposed  by  President  Fillmore  and  Secretary  of 
State  Daniel  Webster,  who  had  been  candidates.  Is  badly 
defeated  in  the  election  by  Franklin  Pierce  of  the  Demo- 
cratic party. 

February,  1855,  he  is  brevetted  lieutenant-general  from 
date  of  March  29,  1847 — the  surrender  of  Vera  Cruz.  This 
rank  had  not  been  in  use  since  the  death  of  Lieutenant- 
General  George  Washington,  and  was  now  revived  by 
special  act  of  Congress. 

In  November,  1859,  he  sails  in  the  steamer  Star  of  the 
West  for  Puget  Sound,  by  way  of  Panama,  to  adjust  difficul- 
ties arising  between  Great  Britain  and  the  United  States 
over  the  possession  of  San  Juan  Island  of  the  inter- 
national boundary. 

In  1860  he  counsels  the  Government  to  garrison  the  forts 
and  arsenals  on  the  Southern  seaboard  with  loyal  troops,  and 
thus  probably  prevent  the  threatened  secession  of  the  Southern 
States.  His  advice  is  disregarded. 

34 


WINFIELD  SCOTT 

In  March,  1861,  submits  other  plans  by  which  he  still 
hopes  that  the  rebellion  may  be  averted. 

Is  offered  high  command  by  his  native  State,  Virginia,  and 
declines  to  forsalce  the  Flag. 

October  31,  1861,  being  seventy-five  years  of  age  and  long 
a  cripple,  almost  unable  to  walk  from  wounds  and  illness,  he 
retires  from  the  army.  President  Lincoln  and  the  cabinet  call 
upon  him  together  and  bid  him  farewell.  There  are  tears  in 
the  old  hero's  eyes. 

November,  1861,  he  sails  for  a  visit  in  Europe. 

December,  1861,  is  recommended  by  President  Lincoln 
in  first  annual  message  to  Congress  for  further  honors, 
if  possible. 

June  10,  1862,  his  wife  dies,  leaving  him  with  three  daugh- 
ters, now  grown. 

He  removes  from  New  York  to  West  Point,  and  on  June  5, 
1864,  after  a  year's  work  he  completes  his  autobiography 
in  two  volumes. 

He  dies  at  West  Point,  May  29,  1866,  aged  eighty,  lacking 
two  weeks. 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH 
GENERAL  SCOTT 

i 

THE  STAR-SPANGLED  BANNER 

"  THE  North  Americans !  They  are  getting 
ready  to  attack  the  city ! " 

"  Who  says  so  ?    Where  are  they  ?  " 

"At  Point  Anton  Lizardo,  only  sixteen  miles 
down  the  coast.  A  great  fleet  of  ships  has  arrived 
there,  from  North  America.  The  sails  looked  like 
a  cloud  coming  over  the  ocean.  The  harbor  is 
crowded  with  masts  and  flags.  Yes,  they  are  get- 
ting ready." 

That  was  the  word  which  spread  through  old 
Vera  Cruz  on  the  eastern  coast  of  Mexico,  at  the 
close  of  the  first  week  of  March,  1847. 

"  Well,  the  castle  will  sink  them  all  with  cannon 
balls.  It  will  be  another  victory.  We  shall  see  a 
fine  sight,  like  on  a  fiesta  (holiday) .  Viva !  " 

"Bien!  Viva,  viva! "  Or:  "Good!  Hurrah, 
hurrah!" 

There  was  excitement,  but  the  news  travelled 
much  faster  than  the  Americans,  for  they  seemed  to 
be  still  staying  at  desolate  Anton  Lizardo. 

Now,  March  9,  up  here  at  the  city  of  Vera  Cruz, 
was  as  fine  a  day  as  anybody  might  wish  for.  The 
sun  had  risen  bright  and  clear  above  the  Gulf  of 
37 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 


o,  and  one  could  see  land  and  ocean  for  miles 
and  miles. 

From  the  sand  dunes  along  the  beach  about  three 
miles  southeast  of  Vera  Cruz,  where  Jerry  Cameron 
was  helping  old  Manuel  and  young  Manuel  cut 
brush  for  fagots,  the  view  was  pleasant  indeed.  To 
the  northward,  up  the  sandy  coast,  the  fine  city  of 
Vera  Cruz  —  the  City  of  the  True  Cross  —  surrounded 
by  its  fortified  wall  two  miles  in  length,  fairly  shone 
in  the  sunlight.  Its  white-plastered  buildings  and 
the  gilded  domes  of  its  many  churches  were  a-glitter. 
In  the  far  distance,  inland  behind  the  city,  the  moun- 
tain ranges  up-stood,  more  than  ten  thousand  feet 
high,  with  Orizaba  Peak  glimmering  snowy,  and 
the  square  top  of  Perote  Peak  (one  hundred  miles 
west)  deeply  blue,  in  shape  of  a  chest  or  strong-box. 
Outside  the  sea-wall  in  front  of  the  city  there  was  the 
sparkling  bay,  dotted  with  the  sails  of  fishing  boats, 
and  broken  by  shoals. 

Upon  a  rocky  island  about  a  third  of  a  mile  out 
from  the  city  there  loomed  the  darkly  frowning 
Castle  of  San  Juan  de  Ulloa  —  the  fort  which  guarded 
the  channel  into  the  harbor.  And  almost  directly 
opposite  the  place  where  Jerry  worked  as  a  wood- 
cutter there  basked  the  island  of  Sacrificios  or  Sacri- 
fices, about  two  miles  out,  with  the  flags  of  the 
foreign  men-of-war  anchored  near  it  streaming  in 
the  breeze.  While  farther  out,  beyond  Sacrificios, 
appeared  Green  Island,  where  the  ships  of  the  United 
States  had  been  cruising  back  and  forth,  blockading 
Vera  Cruz  itself. 

The  United  States  and  Mexico  were  at  war. 
They  had  been  at  war  for  well-nigh  a  year,  but  the 
38 


THE  STAR-SPANGLED  BANNER 

fighting  was  being  done  in  the  north,  where  the 
Americans  had  tried  to  invade  by  crossing  the  Rio 
Grande  River  and  had  been  thrashed.  At  least, 
those  were  the  reports.  General  Antonio  Lopez  de 
Santa  Anna  himself,  Mexico's  famous  leader,  had 
returned  from  exile  in  Cuba  to  command  the  army. 
He  had  been  landed  at  Vera  Cruz  without  the  Ameri- 
cans objecting.  The  Americans  had  foolishly  thought 
that  he  would  advise  peace — or  else  they  were  afraid 
to  stop  him.  At  any  rate,  he  had  gone  on  to  Mexico 
City,  had  gathered  an  army,  and  not  a  week  ago  word 
had  arrived  that  he  had  completely  routed  the  army 
of  the  American  general  named  Taylor,  in  the  bat- 
tle of  Buena  Vista,  north  Mexico! 

It  was  said  that  the  crack  Eleventh  Infantry  of 
the  Mexican  regular  army  had  alone  defeated  the 
North  Americans.  The  Eleventh  had  marched  to 
war  last  summer,  carrying  their  coats  and  shirts 
and  pantaloons  slung  on  the  ends  of  their  muskets, 
because  the  weather  was  hot.  The  soldiers  had  not 
looked  much  like  fighters,  to  Jerry;  many  of  the 
muskets  were  without  locks,  and  most  of  the  soldiers 
were  barefoot. 

But  the  news  of  the  great  victory  filled  all  Vera 
Cruz  with  rejoicing.  The  guns  of  the  forts  were 
fired,  the  church  bells  were  rung,  and  the  people 
cheered  in  the  streets,  and  from  the  sea-wall  shook 
their  fists  at  the  American  fleet  in  the  offing. 

It  had  been  unpleasant  news  to  Jerry,  he  being 
an  American  boy  whose  father  had  died  in  Vera 
Cruz,  from  the  yellow  fever,  and  had  left  him  alone. 
He  hated  to  believe  that  Mexico  actually  was  whip- 
ping the  United  States.  But  he  and  the  few 
ft 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

other  Americans   stranded  here  did  not  dare  to 
say  anything. 

Now  that  the  North  Americans  (as  they  were 
called)  had  been  driven  out,  in  the  north,  very  likely 
they  would  try  to  invade  Mexico  at  another  point. 
Yes,  no  doubt  they  might  be  foolish  enough  to  try 
Vera  Cruz,  hoping  to  march  even  to  the  City  of 
Mexico  from  this  direction!  Of  course,  the  notion 
was  absurd,  for  the  City  of  Mexico  was  two  hundred 
and  eighty  miles  by  road,  and  on  the  other  side 
of  the  mountains.  So  the  Vera  Cruzans  laughed 
and  bragged. 

"  No  hay  cuidado,  no  hay  cuidado !  Somos  muy 
valientes.  Es  una  ciudad  siempre  heroica,  esta  Vera 
Cruz  de  nosotros,"  they  said.  Or,  in  other  words; 
"  No  fear,  no  fear !  We  are  very  brave.  It  is  a  city 
always  heroic,  this  Vera  Cruz  of  ours." 

"  That  is  right/*  had  agreed  old  Manuel  and 
young  Manuel,  with  whom  Jerry  lived  and  worked. 
"If  those  North  Americans  wish  to  come,  let  them 
try.  We  have  two  hundred  great  guns  on  the  walls, 
and  three  hundred  in  the  castle — some  of  them  the 
largest  in  the  world.  Yes,  and  five  thousand  sol- 
diers, and  the  brave  General  Morales  to  lead  us." 

"  The  Vera  Cruz  walls  are  ten  feet  thick,  and 
those  of  the  castle  are  fifteen  feet  thick,"  old  Manuel 
added.  "  Cannon  balls  stick  fast ;  that  is  all." 

"  The  guns  will  kill  at  two  miles,"  young  Manuel 
added.  "  Never  once  have  those  North  American 
ships  dared  to  come  within  reach.  The  commander 
at  the  castle  laughs.  He  says  to  the  American  com- 
mander :  '  Bring  on  your  fleet.  You  may  fire  all 
your  shot  at  us  and  we  will  not  take  the  trouble 
to  reply.  We  only  despise  you/  " 
40 


THE  STAR-SPANGLED  BANNER 

"  Asi  es — that  is  so,"  grunted  old  Manual.  "  The 
castle  has  stood  there  for  two  hundred  and  fifty  years. 
Please  God,  it  will  stand  there  two  hundred  and 
fifty  more  years,  for  all  that  those  Yahnkee  savages 
can  do." 

It  was  true  that  the  American  fighting  ships  had 
stayed  far  out  from  shore.  They  cruised  back  and 
forth,  preventing  supplies  from  being  brought  in. 
That  was  a  blockade,  but  Vera  Cruz  did  not  care.  It 
had  plenty  to  eat.  It  went  about  its  business:  the 
fishing  boats  of  the  native  Indians  caught  vast  quanti- 
ties of  fish  in  the  harbor,  the  ranches  raised  cattle 
and  vegetables  and  fruits,  and  peons  or  laborers  like 
the  two  Manuels  cut  fagots  and  carried  loads  of  it 
on  their  burros  into  town,  to  sell  as  cooking  fuel. 

Thus  it  happened  that  Jerry,  who  worked  hard 
with  the  two  Manuels  for  his  living,  was  out  here 
amidst  the  sand  hills,  as  usual,  on  this  bright  morning 
of  March  9, 1847. 

These  sand  hills  fringed  all  the  beach  on  both 
sides  of  the  city,  and  extended  inland  half  a  mile. 
The  winter  gales  or  northers  piled  them  up  and 
moved  them  about.  Some  of  them  were  thirty  feet 
high — higher  than  the  walls  of  the  city.  From  their 
crests  one  could  look  right  into  Vera  Cruz.  They 
were  grown  between,  and  even  to  their  tops,  with 
dense  brush  or  chaparral,  of  cactus  and  thorny 
shrubs,  forming  regular  jungles;  and  there  were 
many  stagnant  lagoons  that  bred  mosquitoes 
and  fevers. 

From  the  city  the  National  Road  ran  out,  head- 
ing westward  for  the  City  of  Mexico,  those  two  hun- 
dred and  eighty  miles  by  horse  and  foot. 
41 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

Today,  of  all  the  flags  flying  off  shore  scarcely 
one  was  the  American  flag.  The  American  warships 
had  disappeared  entirely,  unless  that  sloop  tacking 
back  and  forth  several  miles  out  might  be  American. 
At  first  it  had  been  thought  that  the  Yankees  had 
grown  discouraged  by  the  news  of  the  defeats  of  their 
armies  on  land,  and  now  did  not  know  what  to  do. 
The  very  sight  of  the  grim  castle  of  San  Juan  de 
Ulloa  had  made  them  sick  at  their  stomachs,  the 
Vera  Cruzans  declared.  But  the  reports  from  Anton 
Lizardo  had  changed  matters. 

The  morning  passed  quietly,  With  the  flags  of  the 
city  and  castle — flags  banded  green,  white  and  red 
and  bearing  an  eagle  on  a  cactus  in  the  center — 
floating  gaily,  defying  the  unseen  Americans.  At 
noon  the  two  Manuels  and  Jerry  ate  their  small  lunch, 
and  drank  water  from  a  hole  dug  near  a  shallow 
lagoon.  Then,  about  two  o'clock,  old  Manuel,  who 
had  straightened  up  for  a  breath  and  to  ease  his 
back,  uttered  a  loud  cry. 

"  Mira !  See !  The  Americans  are  coming 
again ! " 

He  was  gazing  to  the  east,  down  the  coast.  Young 
Manuel  and  Jerry  gazed,  squinting  through  the  chap- 
arral. Out  at  sea,  to  the  right  of  the  little  island 
Sacrificios,  there  had  appeared  against  the  blue  sky 
a  long  column  of  ships,  their  sails  shining  whitely. 
They  came  rapidly  on,  bending  to  the  gentle  breeze, 
and  swinging  in  directly  for  the  island  anchorage. 
Scrambling  like  a  monkey,  old  Manuel  hustled  for  a 
high,  clear  place  and  better  view ;  young  Manuel  and 
Jerry  followed. 

The  foremost  were  ships  of  war;  they  looked 


THE  STAR-SPANGLED  BANNER 

too  trim  aod  large,  and  kept  in  too  good  order,  for 
merchantmen,  and  they  held  their  positions,  in  the 
lead  and  on  the  flanks,  as  if  guarding.  But  what 
a  tremendous  fleet  this  was — sail  after  sail,  until  the 
ships,  including  several  steamers,  numbered  close  to 
one  hundred  1  Soon  the  flags  were  plain :  the  red- 
and-white  striped  flags  of  the  United  States,  stream- 
ing gallantly  from  the  mast  ends. 

"  The  Americans ! "  young  Manuel  scoffed. 
"  They  want  another  beating?  They  think  to 
frighten  us  Vera  Cruzanos?  Bah!  We  will  show 
them.  We  are  ready.  See?" 

That  was  so.  How  quickly  things  had  happened ! 
As  if  by  a  miracle  the  sea  wall  of  Vera  Cruz  was  alive 
with  people  clustered  atop; yes, and  people  were  gath- 
ering upon  all  the  roofs,  and  even  in  the  domes  of 
the  churches.  From  this  distance  they  were  ants. 
The  news  had  spread  very  fast.  The  notes  of  the 
army  bugles  sounded  faintly,  rallying  the  gunners 
to  the  batteries. 

Now  out  at  the  anchorage  near  Sacrificios  the 
mastheads  and  the  yards  of  the  foreign  men  of  war 
and  the  other  vessels,  from  England,  France,  Spain, 
Prussia,  Germany,  Italy,  were  heavy  with  sailors 
clustered  like  bees,  watching  the  approach  of  the 
American  fleet. 

Straight  for  Sacrificios  the  fleet  sped,  silent  and 
beautiful,  before  a  steady  six-knot  breeze  which 
barely  ruffled  the  gulf.  A  tall  frigate  (the  Ameri- 
can flagship  Raritan)  forged  to  the  fore,  and  in  its 
wake  there  glided  a  vessel  squat  and  bulky,  leaving 
a  trail  of  black  smoke. 

"  Un  bar co  de  vapor — a  steamboat !  " 
43 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

"  Yes,  yes !  But  it  has  no  paddles — it  moves  like 
a  snake ! " 

"No  matter/'  said  old  Manuel.  "Everybody 
knows  that  the  North  Americans  are  in  league  with 
the  Evil  One.  Only  the  Evil  One  could  make  a  boat 
to  move  without  paddles.  But  the  saints  will  pro- 
tect us." 

"  They  are  bringing  soldiers ! "  young  Manuel 
cried.  "  Look !  The  decks  of  the  warships  are 
crowded ! " 

The  American  warships  all  forged  to  the  fore; 
in  line  behind  the  tall  Raritan  and  the  smoking  new 
steamer  (which  was  only  a  propeller)  they  filed  past 
the  foreign  ships  at  the  Sacrificios  anchorage,  and 
about  a  mile  from  the  beach  they  cast  anchor  also. 
Now  it  might  be  seen  that  each  ship  had  towed  a  line 
of  rowboats,  and  that  every  deck  was  indeed  crowded 
with  soldiers,  for  muskets  and  bayonets  flashed,  uni- 
forms glittered,  bands  played,  and  a  clatter  and  hum 
drifted  with  the  music  to  the  shore. 

The  merchant  ships  stayed  outside  the  anchorage, 
as  if  waiting.  There  seemed  to  be  seventy-five  or 
eighty  of  them;  too  many  for  the  space  inside. 

The  warships  lost  no  time.  Small  launches  in- 
stantly began  to  tow  the  rowboats  to  their  gang- 
ways; soldiers  began  to  descend 

"  What !  They  are  going  to  land  here,  on  our 
beach  of  Collado?  "  old  Manuel  gasped. 

"  No !  Viva,  viva ! "  young  Manuel  cheered. 
"  Our  brave  soldiers  are  there,  waiting !  Viva,  viva !  " 

"  Now  we  shall  see !  "    And  old  Manuel  cheered, 
waving  his  ragged  hat.     "There  will  be  a  battle. 
Maybe  we  shall  have  to  run." 
44 


THE  STAR-SPANGLED  BANNER 

From  the  brush  and  sand  hills  a  troop  of  Mexican 
lancers,  in  bright  uniforms  of  red  caps  and  red 
jackets  and  yellow  capes,  had  cantered  down  to  the 
open  beach,  their  pennons  flapping,  their  lance  tips 
gleaming.  They  rode  and  waved  defiantly,  daring 
the  Americans  to  come  ashore. 

A  row  of  little  flags  broke  out  from  the  mizzen 
mast  of  the  Raritan.  At  once  two  gunboat  steamers 
and  five  sloops  of  war  left  the  squadron,  they 
ploughed  in,  a  puff  of  whitish  smoke  jetted  from  the 
bows  of  a  gunboat,  and  as  quick  as  a  wink  another 
puff  burst  close  over  the  heads  of  the  lancer  troop. 
Boom-boom  ? 

The  gay  lancers,  bending  low  in  their  saddles, 
scudded  like  mad  back  into  the  sand  hills  and  the 
brush,  with  another  shell  peppering  their  heels. 

"Hurrah!  Hurrah!"  Jerry  cheered,  for  it 
looked  as  though  that  beach  was  going  to  be 
kept  clear. 

He  got  such  a  box  on  the  ear  that  it  knocked  him 
sprawling  and  set  his  head  to  ringing. 

"You  shut  up!"  old  Manuel  scolded.  "You 
little  American  dog,  you !  Your  Americans  are  cow- 
ards. They  dare  not  land  and  fight.  They  think 
to  stand  off  out  at  sea  and  fight.  The  miserable 
gringos  from  the  north !  That's  the  Mexican  name 
for  them :  gringos.  You  understand  ?  " 

No,  Jerry  did  not  understand.  "  Gringo  "  was 
a  new  word — a  contempt  word  recently  invented  by 
the  Mexicans,  when  they  spoke  of  the  North  Ameri- 
cans— his  Americans.  But  he  wasn't  caring,  now; 
he  was  wild  with  the  box  on  the  ear,  and  the  sight  of 
the  United  States  soldiers.  Boxes  on  the  ear  never 

45 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

had  angered  him  so,  before.  It  was  pretty  hard  to  be 
cuffed,  here  in  front  of  the  Flag;  cuffed  by  the 
enemies  of  the  Flag. 

"  That  isn't  so,"  he  snarled  hotly.  "  They  aren't 
cowards.  You'll  see.  They'll  land  where  they  please. 
And  all  your  army  and  guns  can't  keep  them  off. 
Then  they'll  walk  right  over  your  walls." 

"  Shut  up ! "  young  Manuel  bawled,  and  cuffed 
him  on  the  other  side  of  the  head.  "Of  course  they 
are  cowards.  They've  been  beaten  many  times  by 
our  brave  men.  Your  General  Taylor  has  been  cap- 
tured. He  dressed  like  a  woman  and  tried  to  hide. 
Now  your  gringos  are  so  afraid  that  they  think  to 
land  out  of  reach  of  our  cannon.  If  they  do  land, 
what  will  they  do?  Nothing.  The  minute  they 
come  closer  the  guns  of  the  castle  will  blow  them 
to  pieces." 

"  Yes ;  and  soon  the  yellow  fever  will  kill  them. 
They  will  find  themselves  in  a  death-trap,"  old  Man- 
uel added.  "  Bah !  Our  brave  General  Morales  may 
let  them  land.  He  sees  how  foolish  they  are.  All 
he  needs  do  is  to  wait.  Where  can  they  go?  No- 
where! They  will  fight  mosquitoes.  That  is  it: 
they  are  come  to  fight  the  mosquitoes! " 

Jerry  saw  that  there  was  no  use  in  arguing ;  not 
with  two  men  whose  hands  were  heavy,  and  who  pre- 
ferred to  believe  lies.  They  did  not  know  American 
soldiers  and  sailors. 

The  cannon  of  the  city  and  castle  had  not  yet 
spoken,  but  the  walls  of  San  Juan  de  Ulloa,  like 
those  of  Vera  Cruz,  a  little  nearer,  were  thronged 
with  people,  watching.  And  that  was  a  busy  scene, 
yonder  toward  Sacrificios.  The  two  gunboats  and  the 
46 


'AND  ALL  YOUR  ARMY  AND  GUNS  CAN'T  KEEP  THEM  OFF" 


THE  STAR-SPANGLED  BANNER 

five  sloops  cruised  lazily  only  eight  hundred  yards 
out  from  the  beach,  their  guns  trained  upon  it;  the 
sailors  stood  prepared  at  the  pieces,  and  spy-glasses, 
pointed  at  the  beach,  occasionally  flashed  with  light. 
Well  it  was,  thought  Jerry,  that  he  and  the  two 
Manuels  were  securely  hidden.  He  did  not  wish  an 
American  shot  coming  his  way.  But  there,  beyond 
the  seven  patrol  boats,  the  rowboats  were  being 
loaded  at  the  gangways  of  the  men-of-war;  for  the 
soldiers  of  his  country  evidently  were  determined 
to  land. 

Boat  after  boat,  crammed  to  the  gunwales  with 
men,  left  the  gangways,  was  pulled  a  short  distance 
clear,  and  lay  to. 

"How  many  boats?"  young  Manuel  uttered. 
"  Many,  many.  It  is  wonderful." 

"And  a  crazy  idea,"  old  Manuel  insisted,  "to 
land  here  where  the  ships  cannot  follow,  right  in 
sight  of  Vera  Cruz.  But  the  more  the  better; 
the  yellow  fever  will  have  a  feast,  and  so  will 
the  vultures." 

The  loading  of  the  boats  took  two  hours.  The 
sun  was  almost  set  when  the  last  one  appeared  to  have 
been  filled.  No  shot  had  been  fired  by  the  Mexican 
batteries.  Suddenly  a  great  cheer  rang  from  the 
ships  and  the  boats;  yes,  even  from  the  English 
and  French  and  Spanish  ships.  The  boats  had 
started ;  they  were  coming  in  at  last,  and  a  brave  spec- 
tacle they  made:  a  half -circle  mpre  than  three- 
quarters  of  a  mile  front,  closing  upon  the  beach,  with 
oars  flashing  and  bayonets  gleaming  and  the  trap- 
pings of  the  officers  glinting,  all  in  the  crystal  air 
of  sunset,  upon  the  smooth  sea.  The  breeze  had  died 
47 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

down,  as  if  it,  too,  were  astonished;  but  above  the 
boats  a  myriad  seagulls  swerved  and  screamed. 

Five,  ten,  twenty,  forty,  sixty,  sixty-seven! 
Sixty-seven  surf-boats  each  holding  seventy-five  or 
one  hundred  soldiers!  Sixty-seven  surf-boats,  and 
one  man-of-war  gig! 

"  Sainted  Mary !  Where  did  the  Americans  get 
them  all?  "  old  Manuel  gasped. 

Jerry  thrilled  with  pride.  Hurrah !  He  was  an 
American  boy,  and  those  were  American  ships  and 
American  boats,  manned  by  American  soldiers  and 
American  sailors,  under  the  American  flag.  He 
shivered  a  little  with  fear,  also ;  for  when  the  guns 
of  the  castle  and  the  city  began  to  throw  their  shells, 
what  would  happen  to  those  blue-coated  men,  helpless 
.upon  the  bare  beach  of  Collado  ? 

The  music  from  the  bands  in  the  boats  and  upon 
the  ships  sounded  plainly.  The  bands  were  playing 
"Yankee  Doodle,"  "Hail,  Columbia !"  and  "The 
Star-Spangled  Banner/ *  Even  the  dip  of  the  oars 
from  the  sixty  and  more  boats,  pulled  by  sailors, 
sounded  like  a  tune  of  defiance,  as  the  blades  rose 
and  fell  and  the  oar-shafts  thumped  in  their  sockets. 

Splash,  splash,  chug,  chug,  all  together  in  a 
measured  chant;  and  still  the  guns  of  the  city  and 
castle  were  silent,  biding  their  time. 

Now  it  was  a  race  between  the  boats,  to  see  which 
should  land  its  men  first.  The  sailors  were  straining 
at  the  oars;  the  figures  of  the  soldiers — their  brist- 
ling muskets,  their  cross-belts  and  cartridge  boxes, 
their  haversacks — were  clear ;  their  officers  might  be 
picked  out,  and  also  the  naval  officers,  one  in  the  stern 
of  each  boat,  urging  the  rowers. 
48 


THE  STAR-SPANGLED  BANNER 

The  gig  beat.  One  hundred  yards  from  the  beach 
it  grounded.  It  scarcely  had  stopped  when  a  fine,  tall 
officer  leaped  overboard  into  the  water  waist  deep; 
with  his  sword  drawn  and  waved  and  pointed  he 
surged  for  the  shore.  He  wore  a  uniform  frock 
coat,  with  a  double  row  of  buttons  down  the  front 
and  with  large  gold  epaulets  on  the  shoulders.  Upon 
his  head  was  a  cocked  hat;  and  as  he  gained  the 
shallows  the  gold  braid  of  his  trousers  seams  showed 
between  boots  and  skirts.  He  was  of  high  rank, 
then ;  perhaps  a  general — perhaps  the  general  of  the 
whole  army !  And  his  face  had  dark  side-whiskers. 

Close  behind  him  there  hurried  a  soldier  with 
the  flag.  All  the  men,  mainly  officers,  his  staff,  had 
leaped  overboard ;  and  from  the  other  boats,  fast  and 
faster,  the  men  were  leaping,  and  surging  in,  and  in, 
holding  their  muskets  and  cartridge  boxes  high, 
and  cheering. 

"  Boom !  "  A  cannon  shot !  Smoke  floated  from 
the  bastion  fort  of  Santiago,  in  the  nearest  corner 
of  the  city  walls,  three  miles  up  the  shore;  but 
the  ball  must  have  fallen  short. 

"Boom!"  A  great  gun  in  San  Juan  castle, 
three  miles  and  a  half,  had  tried.  By  the  spurt  of 
sand  this  ball  also  was  short. 

"We'd  better  get  out  of  here,"  old  Manuel 
rapped.  "  To  the  city !  Quick !  The  Americans  are 
surely  landing.  We  don't  want  to  have  our  ears  cut 
off ;  and  we  don't  want  to  be  blown  up,  either.  The 
guns  are  beginning;  they  are  playing  for  the  dance." 

"  Yes ;  and  you  come,  too,  you  little  gringo," 
young  Manuel  exclaimed,  grabbing  Jerry  by  the  arm. 

4  49 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

"  We'll  not  have  you  running  to  those  other  gringos 
and  telling  them  tales." 

Away  scuttled  old  Manuel  and  young  Manuel, 
dragging  Jerry  and  shoving  him  before  them  while 
they  followed  narrow  trails  amidst  the  dunes  and  the 
thick,  thorny  brush.  Presently  they  all  heard  an- 
other hearty  shout  from  a  thousand  and  more  throats ; 
but  it  was  not  for  them. 

Pausing  and  looking  back  they  saw  the  whole 
broad  beach  blue  with  the  American  uniforms ;  flags 
of  blue  and  gold  were  fluttering — a  detachment  of 
the  soldiers  had  marched  to  the  very  top  of  one  high 
dune  and  had  planted  the  Stars  and  Stripes.  Already 
some  of  the  boats  were  racing  out  to  the  ships,  for 
more  soldiers.  The  bands  upon  the  shoi*e  were 
playing  "  The  Star-Spangled  Banner  "  again. 

"Hurrah!" 

"  Shut  up,  gringito  (little  gringo)  !  " 

"  You  will  sing  another  tune  if  you  don't  take 
care.  There ! "  And  Jerry  received  a  third  and 
fourth  cuff.  "  Your  soldiers  are  cowards.  They 
land  out  of  reach  of  the  guns.  And  now  maybe  we 
have  lost  our  burro." 

"  Why  don't  you  go  back  for  it,  then  ?  "  Jerry 
demanded.  "  Why  don't  your  own  soldiers  march 
out  and  stop  the  soldiers  of  my  country?  " 

"  Because  we  Mexicans  are  too  wise.  The 
Americans  never  can  get  near  the  city.  Why  should 
we  waste  any  lives  on  them?  Now  you  come 
along,  gringito." 

And  Jerry  had  to  go,  wild  with  rage  and  hot 
with  hopes. 

The  balls  from  the  city  and  castle  were  falling 
50 


THE  STAR-SPANGLED  BANNER 

short ;  the  patrol  vessels  and  the  soldiers  and  sailors 
paid  no  attention  to  them;  but  from  all  the  ranches 
and  fields  and  huts  outside  the  city  walls  the  people 
were  hastening  in,  for  protection.  This  was  another 
sight:  those  men,  women  and  children,  carrying 
bundles,  and  driving  laden  donkeys,  and  chattering, 
threatening,  bragging  and  laughing. 

Hustling  on,  Jerry  and  the  two  Manuels  joined 
with  the  rest,  crossing  the  open  strip  a  half  a  mile 
wide,  bordering  the  walls,  and  pushing  in  through  the 
gate  on  this  side,  named  the  Gate  of  Mexico  and  com- 
manded by  batteries. 

Inside  the  city  there  were  hubbub  and  excite- 
ment. The  broad  paved  streets  of  the  down-town 
among  the  two-story  stone  buildings  were  crowded 
as  on  a  feast  day.  Bugles  were  pealing,  drums  were 
beating,  soldiers  in  the  bright  blue  and  white  of  the 
infantry  and  the  red  and  green  of  the  artillery  were 
marching  hither  thither,  lancers  in  their  red  and 
yellow  clattered  through,  while  the  roof-tops  and  the 
church  belfries  above  swarmed  with  gazers. 

Nobody  showed  much  fear. 

"  Wait,  until  the  cannon  get  the  range." 

"Or  until  the  northers  bury  the  gringos  in 
the  sand ! " 

"  And  then  the  vomito,  the  yellow  fever !  That  is 
our  best  weapon." 

"  Indeed,  yes.  All  we  Vera  Cruzanos  need  do 
is  to  wait." 

The  northers,  as  everybody  should  know,  were 

the  terrific  winds  that  blew  in  the  winter  and  early 

spring;  they  blew  so  fiercely,  from  the  gulf  and  a 

clear  sky,  that  anyone  lying  for  a  few  moments  in 

51 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

the  sand  would  be  covered  up.  Neither  man  nor 
beast  could  face  a  norther,  there  in  the  open  where 
the  sand  drifted  like  snow. 

And  the  vomito,  or  yellow  fever!  Ay  de  mi! 
That  was  worse.  It  came  in  the  spring  as  soon  as 
the  northers  ceased  and  stayed  all  summer.  Some 
days  and  nights  it  appeared  like  a  yellow  mist,  rising 
from  the  lagoons  of  the  coast  and  spreading  toward 
the  city;  men  and  women  and  children  died  by  the 
hundreds,  even  in  the  city  streets,  so  that  the  buz- 
zards feasted  on  the  bodies.  The  City  of  the  Dead : 
this  was  the  name  for  Vera  Cruz  during  the  vomito 
season.  Everyone  who  was  able  fled  to  the 
higher  country  inland,  and  stayed  there  above  the 
vomito  fog. 

Until  ten  o'clock  this  night  the  American  boats 
landed  the  American  soldiers ;  by  token  of  the  twink- 
ling lights  and  the  distant  shouts  the  beach  was 
occupied  for  a  mile  of  length,  and  the  bivouacs 
extended  back  into  the  dunes. 


II 

A  SURPRISE  FOR  VERA  CRUZ 
"BOOM!" 

It  was  such  a  tremendous  explosion  that  it  shook 
the  solid  buildings  of  the  city.  It  also  brought  Jerry 
upon  his  feet,  all  standing,  where  he  had  been  asleep 
for  the  night  in  a  vacant  niche  against  a  stone  ware- 
house. A  great  many  of  the  people  slept  this  night 
in  the  open  air,  just  where  they  chanced  to  be,  so 
that  they  might  miss  no  excitement 

The  explosion  awakened  them  all.  There  was 
a  rush  for  good  viewpoints;  perhaps  the  battle  had 
begun.  Right  speedily  Jerry  had  scrambled  atop 
the  wall  at  a  place  between  batteries,  from  which  he 
could  see  the  harbor  and  the  Americans'  beach  east- 
ward. Nobody  objected  to  him,  here. 

"Boom — Boom!"  A  double  explosion  well- 
nigh  knocked  him  backward.  A  cloud  of  black 
smoke  had  spurted  from  the  walls  of  San  Juan  de 
Ulloa  castle,  a  quarter  of  a  mile  before;  but  yonder 
amidst  the  sand  hills  the  louder  "Boom! "  had  raised 
a  much  greater,  blacker  smoke,  where  the  shell 
had  burst. 

The  people  upon  the  wall  cheered. 

"Viva,  viva!" 

"  Now  we  shall  see.  San  Juan  is  speaking  with 
his  giants." 

"  Yes,  the  Paixhans,"  said  a  Volunteer.  "  It  is 
the  Paixhans  that  he  is  turning  loose,  to  blow  the 
Yankees  up.  Viva !  " 

53 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

The  Paixhan  guns  were  large  pieces  that  threw 
shells  in  a  line,  instead  of  solid  shot  or  high-sailing 
bombs  like  the  mortars. 

"Boom!"  from  the  castle;  and  in  a  moment, 
"Boom!"  from  the  thickets  of  the  dunes.  The 
smoke  jetted  angrily;  the  people  imagined  that  they 
could  see  brush  and  trees  and  bodies  flying  through 
the  air ;  but  just  how  much  damage  was  being  done 
no  one  might  say,  because  most  of  the  American 
army  was  out  of  sight,  concealed  in  the  wilderness 
of  the  jungle. 

General  Morales,  commanding  the  city  and  cas- 
tle, had  issued  a  proclamation  calling  upon  the  sol- 
diers and  citizens  to  rally  for  the  defense.  All  this 
day  the  American  boats,  large  and  small,  plied  back 
and  forth  between  the  fleet  and  the  shore,  out  of 
range,  bringing  in  horses  and  mules  and  cannon  and 
supplies ;  when  the  cannon  had  been  landed,  soldiers 
and  sailors  fell  to  like  ants  and  helped  the  long  teams 
drag  them  across  the  beach,  into  the  sand  hills.  The 
larger  part  of  the  army  had  been  swallowed  by  the 
chaparral;  but  now  and  again  a  column  of  blue- 
uniformed  men  could  be  sighted,  winding  through  a 
cleared  spot,  as  if  gradually  encircling  the  city  on 
the  land  side. 

All  day  the  city  forts  and  outworks  and  the  castle 
pitched  round-shot  and  shell  into  the  dunes.  There 
were  several  little  battles  when  the  Mexican  lancers 
and  infantry  outposts  met  the  American  advance. 
A  number  of  wounded  Mexican  soldiers  were  car- 
ried in ;  but  the  American  flags  kept  coming  on,  bob- 
bing here  and  there,  bound  inland. 

"  To-morrow  it  will  blow/'  the  weather  prophets 
54 


A  SURPRISE  FOR  VERA  CRUZ 

asserted,  noting  the  yellow  sunset.  "  A  norther ! 
Then  those  gringos  will  wish  they  were  some- 
where else." 

"  Yes,  that  is  so." 

Sure  enough,  about  noon  the  next  day  (which  had 
dawned  calm),  far  out  at  sea  a  sharp,  vivid  line  of 
white  appeared,  approaching  rapidly. 

"  The  norther !    Hurrah !    It  is  the  norther !  " 

A  norther  never  had  been  so  welcomed  before. 
The  shipping  was  frantically  lowering  sails  and  put- 
ting out  storm  anchors.  The  war  vessels  at  Sacri- 
ficios  were  riding  under  bare  poles.  The  line  of 
white  reached  them — they  bowed  to  it,  their  masts 
sweeping  almost  to  the  water.  On  it  came,  at  pro- 
digious speed,  in  a  front  miles  long.  The  white  was 
foam,  whipped  feathery  by  wind.  Suddenly  all  the 
shipping  in  the  harbor  was  in  a  confusion  of  scud; 
the  few  American  small  boats  plying  between  war 
vessels  and  beach  were  striving  desperately,  and  see ! 
The  dunes  had  been  veiled  in  a  cloud  of  yellow  dust 
driven  by  the  gale. 

The  change  was  miraculous.  So  strong  was  the 
wind  that  it  cleaned  the  walls  of  people.  Like  the 
rest,  Jerry  crouched  in  shelter,  while  the  gale 
howled  overhead. 

The  dunes  were  completely  shut  from  view  by 
the  cloud  of  scud  and  sand.  Firing  from  the  city 
and  castle  ceased.  There  was  nothing  to  do  but  wait 
and  let  the  norther  work.  Somewhere  under  that 
sand  cloud  the  Americans  crouched  also,  fighting  for 
breath  and  to  keep  from  being  buried.  Here  in  Vera 
Cruz  everybody  was  safe  and  happy,  except  Jerry 
Cameron.  He  was  safe,  but  he  was  sorry  for 
55 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

those  other  Americans,  although  he  did  not  dare 
to  say  so. 

It  was  a  bad  norther.  It  blew  without  a  pause 
for  two  nights  and  days.  Then,  about  noon  of  the 
third  day,  which  was  March  13,  it  quit  about  as  sud- 
denly as  it  had  arrived.  It  left  the  ocean  tossing 
with  white  caps  and  thundering  against  the  sea-wall 
and  upon  the  beach,  but  the  air  over  the  dunes  cleared 
and  all  eyes  peered  curiously  to  see  what  had  be- 
come of  the  American  army. 

Why,  the  flags  were  nearer !  Some  of  them  flut- 
tered at  the  very  inside  edge  of  the  hills,  not  much 
more  than  half  a  mile  away,  across  the  open  space 
which  skirted  the  city  walls.  There  were  signs  that 
the  ground  was  being  dug  out,  as  if  for  batteries. 
As  soon  as  the  ocean  quieted  a  little,  the  boats  again 
hustled  back  and  forth,  landing  more  guns  and  sup- 
plies. The  forts  and  castle  fired  furiously  at  the 
American  camps.  But  the  Americans  had  not  been 
stopped  by  the  norther  and  they  were  not  to  be 
stopped  by  shot  and  shell. 

Now  more  than  a  week  passed  in  this  kind  of 
business,  with  the  city  and  castle  firing,  and  with  the 
Mexican  soldiers  skirmishing  in  the  brush  to  annoy 
the  gringos,  and  with  the  Americans  doing  little  by 
day,  but  each  night  creeping  nearer.  One  morning 
a  strange  new  token  was  to  be  sighted.  To  the  south 
the  ground  had  been  upheaved,  during  the  night,  out 
from  the  edge  of  the  dunes,  and  a  line  of  earth 
extended  like  a  mole-run  into  the  cleared  space. 
The  Americans  were  burrowing. 

The  city  forts  lustily  bombarded  the  place  and 
evidently  drove  the  Americans  out  of  the  trench,  for 
56 


A  SURPRISE  FOR  VERA  CRUZ 

there  was  no  reply.  In  fact,  very  few  gringos  were 
seen,  but  their  flags  might  be  glimpsed,  farther  back. 
Where  were  their  cannon? 

After  this  fresh  burrows  appeared  frequently. 
Still  there  was  no  firing  by  the  American  cannon. 
What  was  being  done,  in  that  brush,  none  of  the 
Vera  Cruzans  could  say  from  such  a  distance. 
Only 

"  It  will  be  a  siege/'  the  wise-acres  nodded. 
"  Very  well.  We  shall  wait  until  the  vomito  comes. 
The  vomito  will  fight  for  us,  in  the  sand  hills  where 
our  brave  soldiers  cannot  go.  The  yellow  fever  will 
find  those  skulking  gringos,  who  dare  not  attack  us. 

Then,  about  two  o'clock  of  March  22,  after  the 
Americans  had  been  digging  and  dragging  cannon 
for  almost  two  weeks,  and  had  advanced  their  flags  in 
a  complete  half  circle  around  the  city,  excitement 
rose  again.  A  Yankee  officer  and  two  other  men, 
bearing  a  white  flag,  had  ridden  out  from  among  the 
dunes  and  were  boldly  cantering  forward  across  the 
flat  strip,  for  the  southern  Gate  of  Mexico. 

The  three  were  received  by  a  Mexican  officer  sent 
by  General  Morales.  Word  spread  that  the  American 
general,  named  Scott,  demanded  the  surrender  of 
Vera  Cruz !  He  gave  two  hours  for  an  answer. 

General  Morales  did  not  require  the  two  hours. 
Before  the  time  was  up,  back  went  the  flag  of  truce, 
while  the  soldiers  loudly  cheered  when  they  learned 
that  he  had  refused  to  surrender.  If  the  Americans 
wished  to  try  a  battle,  let  them  start  in;  they  all 
would  die  without  having  reached  the  walls ;  and  as 
for  breaching  the  walls  with  their  cannon,  that 
was  impossible. 

57 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

Four  o'clock  had  Wn  the  limit  set  by  the  Ameri- 
can general,  Scott.  Usually  Vera  Cruz  slept  from 
noon  until  four ;  all  Mexico  took  its  siesta  then :  stores 
were  closed  and  shutters  drawn  and  nobody  stirred 
abroad;  in  Vera  Cruz  even  the  water  carriers  who 
cried  "  Water !  Pure  water !  "  on  the  streets,  dozed 
like  the  rest.  And  by  this  time,  two  weeks,  the 
people  had  grown  accustomed  to  the  guns,  so  that 
they  slept  right  through. 

But  this  afternoon  the  city  waked  early,  and 
by  four  o'clock  the  roof  tops  and  the  walls  were 
thick  with  spectators  watching  to  see  what  would 
happen.  Ragged  Jerry  gazed  with  the  others.  He 
had  paid  no  attention  to  the  two  Manuels.  There 
had  been  no  fagot  gathering,  and  little  other  busi- 
ness except  talk. 

The  sea  was  smooth ;  the  ships  swung  at  anchor 
under  a  blue  sky ;  out  at  Sacrificios  island,  four  miles 
distant  to  the  east,  the  Stars  and  Stripes  languidly 
flapped  from  the  mast  ends  of  the  men-of-war; 
the  sand  dunes  shimmered  yellow,  buzzards  circled 
above  them  and  the  chaparral  which  flowed  into  the 
flat  strip — the  buzzards  might  see  the  American 
army,  but  few  persons  in  the  city  could.  Neverthe- 
less, from  the  east  clear  around  into  the  west  the 
faint  sounds  of  the  burrowing  blue  coats  drifted  in. 

There  was  no  sign  of  any  charge.  Then,  at  four 
o'clock  precisely,  from  a  spot  half  a  mile  out,  be- 
tween the  city  and  Collado  Beach,  a  sudden  great 
belch  of  black  smoke  issued ;  a  black  speck  streaked 
high  through  the  sky,  fell — and  there  was  a  resound- 
ing crash  and  a  mighty  shock,  from  an  ex- 
58 


A  SURPRISE  FOR  VERA  CRUZ 

plosion  in  the  very  center  of  the  city.  The  clatter 
of  stones  followed. 

Next,  while  the  people  gazed  •  at  each  other, 
astounded,  in  the  southeast  the  chaparral  was 
drowned  by  a  perfect  torrent  of  the  same  smoke, 
blasts  of  air  rocked  the  very  walls  and  buildings,  all 
the  city  shook  to  explosion  after  explosion  mingled. 
Several  shells  had  arrived  at  once ;  the  air  was  filled 
with  dust  and  shrieks. 

Vera  Cruz  was  being  bombarded.  The  bastion 
guns  boomed  hotly,  replying ;  the  great  guns  of  the 
castle  chimed  in;  the  chaparral  was  being  torn  to 
pieces.  But  so  was  the  city;  and  out  in  the  road- 
stead the  two  steam  gunboats  and  the  five  sloops  of 
war  veered  nearer  and  from  a  mile  away  began  to 
shoot,  also,  at  the  city  and  the  castle  both. 

The  battle  had  opened.  The  Americans  were 
firing  only  seven  mortars;  that  was  all — seven. 
Where  were  their  other  cannon?  Stuck  in  the  sand 
and  brush,  as  like  as  not.  The  seven  mortars  were 
hard  to  see,  but  the  city  forts  and  the  castle  would 
bury  them.  As  for  those  little  ships  a  mile  at  sea, 
one  shot  from  San  Ulloa  would  sink  any  of  them. 

However,  the  mortars  stuck  to  it.  They  kept 
firing  all  night,  while  it  was  too  dark  for  the  forts 
and  the  castle  to  answer.  There  was  no  sleep  for 
Vera  Cruz — not  amidst  that  steady  "  Boom !  Boom ! 
Boom!"  and  "Crash!  Crash!  Crash!",  with 
showers  of  iron  and  rock  flying  far  and  wide  into 
all  parts  of  the  city. 

In  the  morning  ten  mortars  were  at  work.  The 
forts  and  San  Ulloa  spouted  smoke  and  flame  in  vain. 
The  walls  had  not  been  hurt;  but  what  with  the 
59 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

booming,  and  the  crashing,  and  the  yelling  and  run- 
ning, assuredly  Vera  Cruz  was  no  place  in  which  to 
stay.  Jerry  resolved  to  get  out  before  he,  an  Ameri- 
can boy,  was  killed  by  shots  from  his  own  country. 

This  afternoon  another  norther  set  in,  as  if  to 
help  Vera  Cruz.  It  silenced  the  mortars,  and  drove 
the  American  gunners  to  cover.  Nobody  could  see 
to  shoot  in  such  a  dust  storm.  The  people  were 
happy  over  it.  They  knew  that  the  northers  and 
the  yellow  fever  would  come  to  their  rescue.  The 
Americans  were  crazy,  their  guns  useless,  their 
trenches  would  be  filled  faster  than  they  could  be 
dug.  But  to  Jerry  the  norther  looked  like  a  lucky 
stroke  for  one  American,  at  least  To  slip  over  the 
walls  and  sneak  across  the  flat  strip  and  enter  the 
American  camp  would  be  as  easy  as — well,  as  cutting 
a  watermelon. 


Ill 

THE  AMERICANS  GAIN  A  RECRUIT 

THE  norther  was  making  things  uncomfortable 
in  the  city  as  well  as  outside.  The  streets  were 
lashed  by  howling  wind,  and  raked  by  sand  and  bits 
of  clay;  loosened  stones  crashed  to  the  pavement, 
threatening  the  few  people  who  scuttled  around  the 
corners ;  and  when  the  thick  dusk  gathered  early  Vera 
Cruz  seemed  deserted.  But  if  matters  were  bad  here, 
what*  must  they  be  yonder,  out  in  the  open? 

Jerry  was  going  to  know,  pretty  soon.  It  was 
time  that  he  left  Vera  Cruz.  He  did  not  belong  in 
Vera  Cruz,  where  Americans  were  disliked.  It  was 
the  enemy's  country.  The  two  Manuels  had  housed 
him  in  their  shack,  and  had  fed  him,  but  only  be- 
cause he  worked  for  them.  He  had  not  seen  them 
this  day — did  not  wish  ever  to  see  them  again ;  they 
had  cuffed  him  on  the  ears,  they  thought  little  of 
slapping  him  about.  He  had  stayed  with  them  be- 
cause there  was  nothing  else  for  him  to  do.  But 
now  his  own  people  had  arrived  to  teach  these  Mexi- 
cans a  lesson ;  had  brought  the  Flag  right  to  the  door- 
way of  Mexico,  and  were  knocking  for  admittance. 

If  they  really  did  not  get  in — of  course  they 
would  get  in,  but  supposing  they  didn't,  and  had  to 
go  away  and  try  at  another  place !  Supposing,  as  the 
Vera  Cruzans  said,  the  walls  held  out  against  the 
cannon,  and  the  yellow  fever  raged,  then  he  would 
be  stranded  the  same  as  before.  It  was  a  long,  long 
way  from  Vera  Cruz  to  the  United  States. 
61 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

So  this  was  the  time  to  make  a  dash  for  freedom, 
while  the  way  was  short  and  the  norther  blew. 

At  eight  o'clock  the  darkness  was  dense  with  the 
smother  of  dust.  Nobody  saw  him  as  he  ran  low 
like  a  rabbit,  tacking  from  building  to  building  and 
corner  to  corner,  until  he  had  reached  the  wall  at  a 
place  nearest  to  the  American  cannon.  The  wall 
was  twelve  feet  high,  here ;  at  intervals  it  was  built 
into  batteries,  jutting  outside  and  inside  both; 
but  to-night  even  the  sentries  had  been  forced 
under  cover. 

The  wall  was  very  old ;  there  were  sections  where 
it  had  crumbled  and  could  be  climbed  easily  enough 
by  means  of  toe-holds  and  finger-holds.  All  the  boys 
of  Vera  Cruz  knew  that  old  wall  perfectly;  and  it 
was  used  as  a  promenade  also  by  men  and  women 
who  strolled  upon  the  wide  top. 

The  American  cannon  had  done  little  damage  to 
it  yet.  The  mortar  bombs  all  passed  over,  to  land 
in  the  city.  But  Jerry  remembered  a  spot  where  he 
often  had  climbed  before,  in  fun — and  to  show  the 
Vera  Cruzans  that  their  wall  could  not  keep  a  boy  in. 

He  had  to  guess  at  the  spot,  in  the  wind  and  the 
darkness.  When  he  thought  that  he  was  there,  he 
shinned  up.  Here  the  wind  struck  him  full  blast,  and 
whew !  He  had  to  lie  flat  and  crawl,  clutching  fast 
with  fingers  and  toes,  feeling  his  way,  and  fairly 
plastered  to  the  rough  top.  If  once  he  raised  up, 
away  he  would  go  like  a  leaf ;  for  that  wind  certainly 
meant  business. 

At  last,  feeling  ahead,  he  came  to  the  crumbled 
edge.  And  now,  cautiously  swinging  about,  he  pre- 
pared to  slide  over  feet  first.  If  this  was  the  right 
spot,  he  would  land  outside  after  a  slide  of  only 
62 


THE  AMERICANS  GAIN  A  RECRUIT 

about  ten  feet  But  how  to  tell  ?  There  wasn't  any 
way.  It  might  be  that  this  was  not  the  right  place 
at  all,  and  he  would  drop  straight  down  more  than 
ten  feet  and  break  a  leg.  Still,  he  was  bound  to  try. 
So  he  backed  like  a  crab,  farther  and  farther,  explor- 
ing with  his  toes ;  he  was  over  the  edge,  he  was  cling- 
ing with  his  knees  and  hands  and  barking  his  shins — 
and  on  a  sudden  the  edge  gave  under  his  fingers  and 
down  he  slithered,  fast  and  faster,  all  in  the  darkness, 
with  clatter  and  rasp  and  scrape,  until — thump ! 

No,  it  had  not  been  the  exact  spot  Maybe  by 
daylight  he  wouldn't  have  risked  such  a  long  slide, 
on  his  stomach.  But  his  clothes  could  not  be  hurt — 
a  few  more  rags  made  no  difference,  and  he  was 
all  right 

He  had  landed  on  his  back  in  the  dry  moat  or  ditch 
which  skirted  the  bottom  of  the  wall.  Under  his  feet 
there  was  a  heap  of  mortar  from  the  wall,  and  a 
stiff  bush  had  almost  skewered  him.  He  picked  him- 
self up,  to  claw  out.  In  a  moment  the  wind  struck 
him  full,  again — sent  him  reeling  and  sprawling,  and 
stung  his  cheek  with  sand  and  pebbles.  Somewhere 
before  him  there  lay  the  dunes  and  the  American 
camp;  but  he  could  not  see  a  thing,  he  had  to 
cross  the  flat,  brushy  strip  half  a  mile  wide,  and 
unless  he  kept  his  wits  sharpened  he  would  get 
all  turned  around. 

Well,  the  wind  was  his  only  guide;  it  hit  him 
quartering,  from  the  left  or  gulf  side— came  like  a 
sheet  of  half-solid  air,  to  flatten  him.  Leaning 
against  it  he  bored  on,  trying  to  go  in  a  straight  line. 
Ouch !  Cactus !  And  more  cactus.  Ouch !  A  large 
thorny  bush.  Ouch !  A  hollow  into  which  he  stepped 
with  a  grunt. 

63 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

The  plain  was  a  whirlpool  of  whistling  wind  and 
blinding  sand  that  took  his  breath  and  blistered  his 
cheek.  The  cactus  stabbed  him,  the  brush  tripped 
him ;  every  little  while  he  had  to  sit  down  and  rest. 
One  lone  boy  seemed  a  small  figure  in  the  midst  of 
that  great  storm,  black  with  murk,  especially  when 
he  wasn't  dead  certain  that  he  was  heading  right. 

That  was  a  tremendously  long  half  mile.  Was 
he  never  going  to  get  to  the  other  edge  ?  Perhaps  he 
would  be  better  off  if  he  stayed  in  one  spot  and 
waited  for  morning.  No ;  then  he  would  be  caught 
between  two  fires — might  be  shot  by  one  side  or  the 
other,  or  else  captured  by  prowling  Mexican  soldiers. 

After  a  while  the  wind  slackened  a  little ;  the  air 
cleared,  and  so  did  the  sky.  A  moon  peeped  forth 
from  the  overhead  scud.  He  thought  that  he  could 
see  the  dunes,  in  a  dim  line,  and  he  pushed  on  for 
them  as  fast  as  he  could.  He  ought  to  be  drawing 
near  to  them,  by  this  time,  for  Vera  Cruz  lay  hours 
behind  him,  according  to  the  way  his  legs  ached  from 
his  stumblings  and  zigzaggings. 

Here  came  the  wind,  again — -in  a  terrific  blast  as 
if  it  had  been  only  taking  breath,  too.  The  moon 
vanished,  everything  vanished,  and  he  was  blinded 
by  the  dust  once  more. 

Then,  quite  unexpectedly,  as  he  was  leaning  and 
gasping  and  blundering  on,  breaking  through  the 
brush  and  never  minding  the  cactus,  he  ran  against 
a  mound  of  sand.  He  sort  of  crawled  up  this,  claw- 
ing his  way — the  wind  seized  him,  on  top,  hurled  him 
forward,  and  down  he  pitched,  headfirst,  into  a  hole 
on  the  other  side. 

This  time  he  landed  upon  something  soft  and 
alive.     It  grabbed  him  tightly  in  two  arms  and  he 
heard  a  voice  in  good  sailor  American : 
64 


THE  AMERICANS  GAIN  A  RECRUIT 

"  Shiver  my  timbers !  Belay  there,  whoever  you 
be.  Hey,  maties!  Stand  by  to  repel  boarders! 
They're  entering  by  the  ports." 

"  No,  no !  I'm  a  boy — I'm  an  American !  "  Jerry 
panted.  "  There's  nobody  else." 

"  A  boy?  Bless  my  bloomin'  eyes."  The  grip 
relaxed,  but  the  voice  growled.  "  Wot  d'you  foul  my 
hawser  for,  when  I'm  snugged  under  for  the  night, 
with  storm  anchors  out?  " 

"  I  didn't  mean  to,"  Jerry  stammered. 

"  Who  are  you,  then?  Wot's  your  rating?  An- 
swer quick,  and  no  guff." 

"  I'm  nobody  'special — I'm  Jerry  Cameron.  I've 
run  away  from  Vera  Cruz." 

*"  Under  bare  poles,  too,  by  the  feel  of  you. 
You're  a  bloody  spy,  eh?  " 

"  No,  Pm  not,"  Jerry  implored.  "  I'm  an  Ameri- 
can, I  told  you." 

"  Where's  the  rest  of  your  boarding  crew?  " 

"  There  aren't  any." 

"  Does  your  mother  know  you're  out?  " 

"  She's  dead.    So's  my  father." 

"  Now  if  you're  one  o'  them  young  limbs  o* 
drummer  boys,  playing  a  game  on  me " 

"  Pm  not,"  Jerry  declared. 

"  Wot  do  you  want  here?  " 

"  I  want  to  join  the  army." 

"  The  army!  Get  out,  then.  Don't  you  go  tak- 
ing this  for  any  landlubber  mess.  Avast  with  you ! 
Port  your  helm  and  sheer  off."  And  the 
clutch  loosened. 

"But  where  am  I,  please?"  Jerry  asked, 
bewildered. 

"  Wait  till  I  put  a  half  hitch  on  you  and  I'll  tell 
5  *$ 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

you;  for  if  you're  putting  up  a  game  you'll  be 
hanged  to  the  yardarm  at  sunrise.  That's  regula- 
tions. Lie  quiet,  now.  I'm  hungry  and  I'm  a  reg'lar 
bloomin'  cannerbal." 

A  cord  was  deftly  passed  about  Jerry's  slim  waist, 
tightened,  tied,  and  apparently  fastened  to  his  captor 
also — who  growled  again  as  if  satisfied.  Flint  and 
steel  were  struck,  and  a  lantern  lighted — a  lantern 
enclosed  in  a  wire  netting — a  battle  lantern.  It  was 
flashed  upon  Jerry,  and  at  the  same  time  flashed  upon 
his  captor.  He  saw  a  very  red  face — a  dirty  face  but 
a  good-natured  face,  under  a  shock  of  tow  hair;  and 
a  pair  of  broad  shoulders  encased  in  a  heavy  woollen 
jacket.  Two  bright  blue  eyes  surveyed  him. 

"  A  bloomin'  bloody  stowaway,"  the  man 
growled,  not  unkindly.  "  That's  wot !  Well,  wot 
you  want  to  know?  " 

"Where  am  I,  if  this  isn't  the  army?"  Jerry 
pleaded. 

"  The  army  be  blowed,"  answered  the  man. 
"  This  is  the  navy,  young  feller.  Bless  my  eye,  but 
you're  in  the  naval  battery,  as  you'll  soon  find  out, 
and  so' 11  those  bloody  dons  when  we  open  up  in 
the  morning." 

"Yes,  sir.  But  I  think  I'd  like  to  stay,  any- 
way," said  Jerry ;  for  he  was  down  under  the  wind, 
and  he  was  very  tired. 

"  Right-o,  my  hearty."  The  man  untied  the  rope. 
"  Now  we  can  lie  yard  and  yard,  but  mind  you  keep 
quiet,  'cause  I'm  dead  for  sleep.  One  wiggle,  and 
out  you  go.  All  quiet  below  decks.  That's  discipline 
and  them's  man-o'-war  orders." 

The  sailor  turned  down  the  lantern>  and  settled 
himself  with  a  grunt. 

66 


IV 

JERRY  MAKES  A  TOUR 

THE  norther  certainly  was  slackening  off,  as  if  it 
had  blown  itself  out.  The  wind  died  to  a  fitful 
breeze,  and  this  itself  finally  ceased.  There  was  a 
dead  calm.  Overhead  the  stars  sparkled  again.  It 
seemed  to  be  a  great  relief  to  everything — this  calm, 
after  the  lashing  and  the  howling  and  the  gen- 
eral strain.  Only  the  gulf  surf  roared  dully  in 
the  distance. 

Now  voices  sounded,  right  and  left  and  behind, 
as  if  the  American  camp  had  aroused  and  the  men 
were  issuing  from  their  coverts.  They  had  weath- 
ered the  storm.  Jerry  carefully  raised,  to  look. 
He  could  see  the  occasional  flash  of  a  lantern.  Then 
he  lay  down.  In  the  calm  he  was  more  exhausted 
than  ever.  That  had  been  a  tough  trail  through  the 
brush,  fighting  the  wind  at  every  step.  Before  he 
knew,  he  was  asleep,  beside  the  snoring  sailor;  and 
the  next  that  he  knew,  he  was  awakened  into  gray 
dawn  by  a  bustle  around  him. 

Where  was  he?  Oh,  yes;  he  was  safe  with  the 
Americans.  So  he  got  up,  shook  himself,  and 
took  stock. 

He  was  still  out  in  the  plain,  instead  of  at  the 
edge  of  the  dunes;  the  trench  which  sheltered  him 
was  six  feet  wide  and  the  same  in  depth,  and  was 
screened  by  brush  outside  the  dirt  thrown  out.  It 
ran  right  and  left,  as  if  connecting  with  other 
trenches.  Figures  of  sailors  and  their  officers  hur- 
67 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

ried  back  and  forth,  scarcely  noticing  him.  There 
were  gruff  orders.  He  had  to  see  what  was  going 
on ;  so  he  fell  in  with  the  busy  files,  and  in  a  moment 
he  had  arrived  at  the  breech  of  an  enormous  cannon, 
surrounded  by  sailors  stripped  to  the  waist  and  tug- 
ging and  heaving  to  move  the  cannon  into  place. 

Beyond  it  there  was  another  cannon,  already  in 
place,  its  muzzle  pointing  out  through  sandbags,  its 
squatty  solid  iron  frame  resting  upon  little  wheels 
which  fitted  a  pair  of  iron  rails  bolted  to  a  plank 
turn-table  upon  a  platform.  Beyond  that  was  still 
another  great  gun.  And  to  the  rear  there  was  the 
sand-bagged  roof  of  a  low  hut,  sunk  deeply  almost 
on  the  level  with  the  surface  of  the  ground.  This 
was  a  battery,  then;  and  that  probably  was  the 
powder  house— the  magazine.  And  all  had  been 
dug  out,  and  erected,  here,  between  the  dunes  and 
Vera  Cruz,  in  point-blank  range  of  the  walls ! 

By  the  hurry  and  bustle  something  was  going  to 
happen  very  soon.  A  smart  naval  officer  in  blue  and 
gold,  with  sword  drawn,  was  overseeing  the  work 
of  setting  the  first  gun  into  position.  A  boatswain, 
his  shirt  open  upon  his  hairy  chest  and  a  whistle 
dangling  at  the  end  of  a  cord,  was  bossing.  Every- 
body was  a  sailor,  so  it  must  be  the  naval  battery. 

The  boatswain  saw  Jerry  staring;  and  he  stared 
likewise. 

"  Hi !  What  you  doin'  here,  young  'un?  " 

"  Just  watching,"  said  Jerry. 

"  Where  you  from?  " 

"  Vera  Cruz.    But  I'm  an  American. 

"  Shiver  my  tops'ls ! "  uttered  the  boatswain ; 
and  the  other  sailors  briefly  paused  to  wipe  their 
68 


JERRY  MAKES  A  TOUR 

brows  and  grin.  "  A  bloomin'  American  from  Very 
Cruz."  He  saluted  the  officer.  "  Recruit  for  the 
navy,  sir.  What  shall  I  do  with  him?  " 

"  Send  him  to  the  rear.  This  is  no  place  for 
boys,"  rapped  the  officer.  "  What's  your  name,  lad?  " 

"  Jerry  Cameron." 

"  How  did  you  get  in  here?  " 

"  I  ran  away  from  Vera  Cruz  last  night.  I  don't 
belong  there." 

"  Too  much  Yankee  music  in  that  city,  eh  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir.     It's  awful." 

"  Well,  it  will  be  worse.  If  you've  come  to  join 
the  band  you'll  have  to  go  to  the  rear.  We  can't 
take  care  of  you  here.  Things  will  open  lively  in  a 
short  time,  now." 

And  as  if  to  prove  his  words  the  air  shook,  a  dull 
boom  sounded,  a  louder  boom  rolled  from  the  dunes. 
Vera  Cruz  had  awakened  to  action  again. 

"  You  follow  that  trench  and  keep  going,"  the 
officer  ordered.  "  March,  before  your  head's 
blown  off." 

"Boom — Bang!"  A  great  mass  of  sand  and 
brush  spouted  up  not  fifty  yards  to  the  front,  and 
the  shock  sent  everyone  staggering.  A  shell  from 
Vera  Cruz  had  landed  near  indeed.  "  Boom — 
Bang!  "  That  was  another.  The  Mexican  batteries 
were  trying. 

"  Handspikes,  there !     Put  a  block  under  that 
transom,  bo's'n,"  barked  the  officer,  never  noticing. 
"  Aye,  aye,  sir !  "    The  men  jumped  to  their  work. 
Jerry  turned  and  headed  back  through  the  trench. 
He  was  glad  that  he  was  not  to  be  in  Vera  Cruz 
this  day.    Those  guns  looked  mean. 
69 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

The  trench,  higher  than  his  crown  and  wider  than 
he  was  tall,  led  obliquely  toward  the  dunes.  To 
have  cut  such  a  trench  must  have  been  a  prodigious 
job — and  the  queer  part  was,  that  from  Vera  Cruz 
the  work  had  not  been  seen. 

Judging  by  deep  wheel  tracks  the  cannon  had 
been  dragged  through  the  trench,  to  the  front. 

For  a  little  way  he  met  nobody.  Now  the  shells 
from  the  city  and  castle  were  bursting  all  around 
him,  well-nigh  deafening  him ;  and  from  a  distance 
the  American  guns  were  replying.  Next,  he  came 
to  a  squad  of  sailors,  sitting  in  a  side  gallery  and 
eating  breakfast.  They  hailed  him. 

"Ahoy!    Where  bound,  young  'un?" 

"  Nowhere,"  Jerry  answered. 

"  Heave  to,  then,  and  come  aboard  with  your 
papers.  Where  you  from?  " 

"  Vera  Cruz." 

"  Lay  alongside."  So  Jerry  turned  in.  "What's 
your  colors?  Speak  sharp.  Report  to  the  admiral." 

"  Red,  white  and  blue,"  asserted  Jerry. 

"  Blow  me,  but  he  is  American,  by  the  cut  of  his 
jib,"  one  of  them  exclaimed.  "  Where's  your  con- 
voy, young  sloop-o'-war  ?  " 

"  Nowhere.     I  ran  away  last  night." 

"  Homeward  bound  in  ballast.  Can't  you  see  he's 
floating  clean  above  loading  mark?"  said  another. 
"  He's  empty  to  his  keel.  Fall  to,  my  hearty.  Line 
your  lockers." 

They  were  a  jovial  party,  grimy  with  sand  and 

sweat,  their  blue  sailor  shirts  open,  their  faces  red  and 

their  big  hands  tarry  and  scarred.     They  passed 

him  hard  biscuit  and  meat  and  a  cup  of  coffee — and 

70 


JERRY  MAKES  A  TOUR 

every  now  and  again  the  earth  shook  to  the  explosion 
of  a  shell.  While  they  were  asking  him  questions 
about  himself,  and  Vera  Cruz,  and  the  Mexicans  ( for 
whom  they  appeared  to  feel  much  scorn)  there  was  a 
fresh  hullaballoo,  somewhere  in  the  main  trench. 
Up  they  sprang,  to  crowd  and  gaze. 

"  Another  pill-tosser  to  feed  the  bloomin'  dons/' 
they  cried.  "Hooray!" 

And  here,  through  the  trench,  there  came  one  of 
the  great  naval  guns:  first,  rounding  an  elbow,  a 
long  double  file  of  sailors,  stripped  to  the  waist, 
leaning  low  to  a  rope  and  tugging  like  horses ;  then 
the  breech  of  the  gun,  then  high  wheels  upon  which 
it  had  been  mounted,  with  other  sailors  wrestling  at 
them ;  then  the  immensely  long  barrel,  with  still  other 
sailors  pushing  at  this  clear  to  the  muzzle. 

A  bo's' n  trudged  beside,  urging  the  work.  When 
the  gun  stuck  for  a  moment  crowbars  were  thrust 
under  the  wheels — 

"Heave-ho!   Together,  now!   Heave-ho!" 

"Aye,  aye!  Heave-ho!" 

"Heave,  my  bullies!" 
And  they  panted  a  song : 

"'Way  down  Rio,  Rio,  Rio! 
'Way  down  Rio,  Oh!" 

The  gun  went  surging  by. 

"We'll  be  needed  up  for'd,  maties,"  said  one 
of  the  sailor  squad.  "  Young  'un,  you  set  your 
course  the  direction  you  were  steering." 

They  mopped  their  mouths  with  the  backs  of  their 
tarry  fists  and  lurched  on  after  the  cannon. 

Jkrry  proceeded.     Next,  but  not  much  farther, 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

the  trench  was  cut  by  another  trench,  crossing  it  at 
right  angle  and  extending  without  end  on  either  hand. 
This  trench  on  right  and  left  was  lined  with  blue- 
capped,  blue-coated  soldiers,  crouching  low,  or  dar- 
ingly peering  through  openings  they  had  made  in  the 
ridge  of  sand  thrown  out  in  front  of  the  trench,  their 
long-barreled  muskets  leaning  against  the  wall,  beside 
them.  Jerry  kept  on,  following  the  wheel  tracks. 

His  trench  grew  shallow;  and  the  wheel  tracks 
wound  through  low  places  amidst  the  dunes.  He 
left  the  trench  behind  him.  Next,  he  began  to  see 
soldiers  in  squads — messing,  shaking  their  blankets 
free  of  sand,  clearing  out  small  trenches  that  had 
almost  filled  during  the  storm ;  and  so  forth  and  so 
forth.  And  tents,  some  blown  flat  and  being  hoisted 
again;  and  the  United  States  flags,  and  regimental 
flags ;  and  stacks  of  muskets  in  rows. 

The  soldiers  appeared  to  be  of  the  rough-and- 
ready  order;  many  of  them  bearded  or  stubbly,  their 
uniforms  worn  carelessly,  their  caps  set  at  an  angle; 
some  were  barefoot,  as  if  easing  their  feet ;  some  had 
on  shoes,  and  some  had  one  trouser-leg  tucked  into  a 
boot-top;  and  several  who  seemed  ill  were  sitting  en- 
veloped in  Mexican  blankets. 

They  were  singing — these  soldiers — in  groups, 
as  they  lolled  or  worked  at  various  tasks ;  singing  not 
very  musically,  but  gaily : 

"  Green  grow  the  rushes,  O ! 
Green  grow  the  rushes,  O! 
The  sweetest  hours  that  e'er  I  spend 
Are  spent  among  the  lasses,  O  !  " 

That  was  the  chorus  of  one  group  nearest  to 
Jerry,  as  he  sidled  through  the  camp.     It  was  not 
72 


JERRY  MAKES  A  TOUR 

much  of  a  song,  although  as  good  as  most  of  the 
Mexican  songs.  He  saw  a  flag,  of  blue  and  gold, 
which  said  "  First  Tennessee  Volunteers."  A  sol- 
dier was  shaking  it  out  from  its  folds. 

"  Well,  I'm  in  the  army,  anyway,"  Jerry  thought, 
to  himself.  "  But  I  guess  I'll  go  on,  to  the  beach,  and 
see  what's  there." 

So  although  the  men  hailed  him,  as  the  sailors 
had,  only  in  different  language,  he  shook  his  head 
and  did  not  stop. 

Pretty  soon  he  came  to  a  cleaner  camp,  within 
easy  sight  of  the  surf  beyond  the  dunes,  and  of  the 
ships  at  anchor  off  Sacrificios.  There  were  many 
soldiers,  here,  too,  but  more  orderly  and  better 
clothed.  The  camp  appeared  to  stretch  clear  to 
the  beach ;  and  while  he  was  wandering  and  gazing, 
somebody  challenged  him 

It  was  another  boy,  in  uniform — a  red-headed 
boy,  spick  and  span  and  as  smart  as  a  new  whip. 

"  Hey,  you !    What  you  doing?  " 

He  wore  a  tight  blue  jacket  and  lighter  blue 
trousers;  the  front  of  the  jacket  was  crossed  by  a 
lot  of  red  braid,  a  high  collar  held  his  chin  up,  upon 
his  head  was  perched  a  jaunty  blue,  red-decorated 
round  cap  with  leather  visor,  and  a  short  sword  hung 
at  his  right  thigh. 

"  Nothing  special,"  Jerry  answered  back. 

"  Come  over  till  I  investigate.  We  don't  allow 
camp  followers  in  the  lines." 

Jerry  went  over. 

"  I'm  not  a  camp  follower,"  he  retorted.  The 
soldiers  who  heard,  laughed. 

"Then  what's  your  regiment?" 
73 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

"  Haven't  any,  yet.  I  left  Vera  Cruz  only 
last  night." 

"You  did!  Huh!  That's  a  likely  yarn.  How'd 
you  get  into  the  lines,  then?  " 

"  Just  walked.  I  skipped  out,  over  the  wall,  and 
crossed  the  plain  in  the  storm." 

"  What'd  you  skip  out  for?  " 

"Because  I'm  an  American.  I  don't  like  it  in 
Vera  Cruz." 

"  Guess  you  didn't.  Guess  nobody  does — and 
they'll  all  like  it  less,  to-day.  We're  to  give  'em 
a  jolly  good  shaking  up.  Got  any  folks?  " 

"  No." 

"  Anybody  come  with  you?  " 

"  No." 

"  Well,  what's  your  name?  " 

"  Jerry  Cameron." 

"  That  sounds  all  right.  What  did  you  do  in 
Vera  Cruz?" 

"  Lived  there  with  my  father  until  he  died  from 
yellow  fever.  Then  I  worked  for  two  Mexicans, 
until  I  had  a  chance  to  run  away." 

"  Mind  you  don't  lie." 

"  I'm  not  lying.  Should  think  you  could  see 
I'm  American." 

"  Guess  you  are.  Guess  you're  O.  K.,  Jerry. 
I'm  Hannibal  &[oss,  drummer  boy,  Company  A, 
Eighth  United  States  Infantry,"  said  the  boy,  with  a 
little  swagger  of  importance.  "  That's  what.  Best 
company  in  the  best  fighting  regiment  of  the  whole 
army.  What  you  intend  to  do ?  Join  us?" 

"  I'd  like  to,  mighty  well." 

"  Where've  you  been  since  you  got  in?  " 
74 


JERRY  MAKES  A  TOUR 

"  Out  there  with  the  sailors  and  the  big  guns. 
That's  where  I  landed.  But  they  sent  me  back." 

"  Oh,  that's  the  navy  battery.  What'd  you  think 
of  it?" 

"  They're  the  biggest  guns  I  ever  saw." 

"  Guess  they  are.  Guess  they'll  fix  those  dons — 
blow  their  walls  to  pieces.  They're  saxty-eight- 
pounder  shell  guns  and  thirty-two-pounder  solid  shot 
fellows.  You  bet!  The  army's  got  some  just  as 
big,  but  they  haven't  come  yet,  so  the  navy's  going 
to  help  us  out.  We've  a  battery  of  twenty-four- 
pounders  out  there,  though.  Only  seven  hundred 
yards  £rom  the  walls.  Wait  till  you  hear  the  music," 

"  The  walls  haven't  been  hurt  yet ;  or  they  hadn't 
been,  when  I  left,"  said  Jerry. 

"  That's  because  we  weren't  ready.  We've  had 
to  use  mortars ;  but  throwing  bombs  into  houses  isn't 
what  we're  here  for.  Old  Fuss  and  Feathers — he 
knows  what  he's  about  That's  why  he  called  on  the 
navy,  when  his  own  siege  guns  didn't  arrive.  He 
wants  to  finish  things  here  and  march  on  into  the 
mountains  before  the  yellow  fever  starts  up.  Say, 
it's  been  pretty  hot  in  Vera  Cruz,  hasn't  it,  with  all 
those  bombs  bursting?  " 

"  It  certainly  has,"  Jerry  answered  soberly. 
"  They've  killed  people  who  weren't  fighting,  and 
knocked  down  a  lot  of  houses." 

"  Well,  that's  war.  The  Mexicans  ought  to  have 
surrendered  when  they  had  a  chance.  They  can 
surrender  any  time.  All  they  need  do  is  to  hang  out 
a  white  flag.  Fuss  and  Feathers  is  going  to  take  their 
city.  He  doesn't  want  their  houses,  though,  and  I 
guess  he's  sorry  to  hurt  non-combatants.  The  civil- 
75 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

ians  ought  to  have  moved  their  families  out.  After 
we've  breached  the  walls  proper  and  forced  terms, 
we'll  have  Vera  Cruz  as  a  base  and  we'll  march 
straight  to  the  Halls  of  Montezuma." 

"  Who's  Fuss  and  Feathers?  " 

Hannibal  stared. 

"  You  don't  know  anything  about  the  army,  that's 
sure.  Fuss  and  Feathers  is  Major-General  Winfield 
Scott,  commander-in-chief  of  the  United  States 
army.  We  call  him  Fuss  and  Feathers,  for  fun.  Not 
when  he's  around,  though.  M-m-m!  You  bet  not! 
He's  a  stickler  for  discipline.  But  he'll  take  us  to  the 
Halls  of  Montezuma." 

"  Where  are  they,  Hannibal!  " 

"  My  eye,  you're  green !  The  Halls  of  Monte- 
zuma are  the  capitol  in  the  City  of  Mexico,  of  course. 
Guess  you've  a  lot  to  learn.  Want  me  to  show  you 
about?  Maybe  I  can  find  you  a  job  if  you're  an 
American.  Looks  like  you  need  a  suit  of  clothes — 
but  you  aren't  much  worse  than  some  of  those  Mo- 
hawks are  already.  Come  on ;  let's  walk." 

"  You  see,  I'm  off  duty,"  Hannibal  explained,  as 
he  strolled  with  Jerry  in  tow.  "  We  had  to  work 
half  the  night,  digging  trenches.  We  just  got  back. 
Golly,  but  that  was  a  storm,  wasn't  it !  Filled  us  up 
as  fast  as  we  could  dig  out.  But  no .  storms  are 
going  to  stop  this  army.  Say ;  do  you  know  where 
you  are?" 

"  In  the  American  army." 

"  Yes,  siree,  and  in  the  First  Division,  too.  This 
is  Brigadier-General  William  J.  Worth's  division  of 
Regulars:  Fourth  Infantry,  Fifth  Infantry,  Sixth 
Infantry,  Eighth  Infantry,  Second  and  Third  Artil- 
lery. The  Eighth  Infantry — that's  my  regiment — is 
76 


JERRY  MAKES  A  TOUR 

in  the  Second  Brigade.  Colonel  Clarke's  our  com- 
mander. Garland's  commander  of  the  First  Bri- 
gade. They're  both  good  men — and  so's  General 
Worth.  My  eye !  Isn't  he,  though !  You're  lucky 
to  have  struck  the  Regulars.  If  you'd  stayed  with 
the  Mohawks — my  eye !  " 

"  Who  are  they,  Hannibal?  " 

"  The  Volunteers.  We  call  'em  '  Mohawks '  be- 
cause they're  so  wild.  They're  General  Patterson's 
division,  the  Third :  the  Palmettos — those  are  the 
South  Carolinans;  the  First  and  Second  Tennessee 
Mountaineers;  the  First  and  Second  Pennsylvania 
Keystoners ;  the  Second  New  Yorkers ;  the  Third  and 
Fourth  Illinois  Suckers;  the  Georgia  Crackers,  and 
the  Alabamans.  Guess  they  can  fight,  but  they're 
awful  on  discipline.  Won't  even  salute  their  offi- 
cers. Expect  you  passed  through  them  on  your  way 
from  the  naval  battery." 

The  sun  had  risen,  flooding  all  the  chaparral  and 
glinting  on  the  gulf  surges  beyond  the  fringing  beach. 
The  uproar  of  the  cannon  in  castle  and  city  had 
welled  to  a  deep,  angry  chorus ;  the  American  guns 
were  answering;  the  morning  air  quivered  to  the 
quick  explosions;  and  over  city  and  strip  of  plain  a 
cloud  of  black  smoke  floated  higher  and  higher, 
veiling  the  sun  itself.  Now  and  then  a  piece  of  shell 
drooned  in,  skimming  the  sand  hills  and  kicking 
up  puffs  of  dust.  A  round-shot  of  solid  iron  actually 
came  rolling  down  a  slope  and  landed  at  their  very 
feet.  Jerry  stooped  to  feel  of  it.  Ouch!  It  was 
still  hot. 

"  Shucks !  "  Hannibal  laughed.  "  Put  it  in  your 
pocket."  He  cocked  his  cap  defiantly.  "  It's  a  dead 
one.  When  you're  in  your  &cs_t  bat.tk  you  think 
77 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

every  gun  is  aimed  at  you;  and  after  that  you 
don't  care." 

"  You've  been  in  other  battles,  Hannibal?  " 

"  I  should  rather  say !  We're  all  veterans,  in  this 
division.  We  were  with  Old  Zach — he's  General 
Zachary  Taylor — when  he  licked  the  dons  at  Palo 
Alto  and  Resaca  de  la  Palma  in  Texas  last  May, 
and  we  helped  take  Monterey  in  September.  We'd 
have  been  licking  'em  again  if  we  hadn't  been  sent 
here  with  Old  Fuss  and  Feathers." 

"  But  General  Taylor's  been  licked  since,  hasn't 
he?  At  Buena  Vista?" 

"He?  Old  Zach?  Do  you  believe  that  story? 
It's  just  a  Mexican  lie.  I  wasn't  there,  but  the  New 
Orleans  papers  say  he  wasn't  licked  at  all.  There 
can't  anybody  lick  Old  Zach.  He  just  wears  his  old 
clothes  and  sits  his  horse  sideways,  and  tells  the  men : 
'  The  bayonet,  my  hardy  cocks !'  When  we  joined 
Old  Fuss  and  Feathers  we  knew  he  was  all  right, 
too,  but  we  expected  to  have  to  dress  up  and  shave. 
I  tell  you,  there  was  hustling.  Regulations  say  that 
officers'  and  men's  hair  has  got  to  be  cropped — cut 
short,  you  know;  whiskers  can't  grow  lower  than 
the  ears  and  nobody  except  the  cavalry  can  wear 
moustaches.  Old  Davy — that's  General  David 
Twiggs  of  the  Second  Division  of  Regulars — he  had 
a  white  beard  reaching  nearly  to  his  waist,  and  he 
shaved  it  all  off  and  cut  his  hair.  Looked  funny,  too. 
But  the  regulations  aren't  being  enforced,  after  all. 
We're  in  Mexico  to  fight.  Wait  till  you  see  General 
Worth's  side- whiskers.  But  let's  climb  a  hill,  farther 
front,  and  lie  down,  and  I'll  show  you  things.  No ! 
Wait  a  minute.  Listen  to  that  cheering.  I  guess 
there's  news.  Come  on." 
78 


JERRY  MAKES  A  TOUR 

They  ran  back,  toward  the  camp.  Cheers  could 
be  heard — beginning  at  the  beach  edge  of  the  dunes 
and  traveling  inward.  The  soldiers  were  running, 
and  gathering.  An  officer  on  horseback  attended  by 
other  mounted  officers  was  riding  slowly  on,  among 
the  dunes  and  occasionally  stopping.  Whenever  he 
had  paused,  fresh  cheers  arose. 

"  That's  General  Worth,  and  Captain  Mackall, 
division  adjutant,"  Hannibal  informed.  "  Golly ! 
Wonder  what's  up.  Something  special." 

They  hastened  until  they  had  joined  a  crowd  of 
the  men,  all  waiting  expectant,  for  General  Worth 
and  party  were  coming  on. 

"  Mind  your  eye,  now,"  Hannibal  whispered. 
"If  you  know  how  to  salute  you'd  better  do  it. 
You're  with  the  Regulars." 

The  soldiers  stiffened  to  attention — Hannibal 
like  the  rest,  and  Jerry  trying  to  imitate.  Every 
hand  went  to  a  salute.  General  Worth  was  as  fine 
a  looking  man  as  one  might  ever  see — tall  and  straight 
in  the  saddle,  with  handsome  face,  dark  complexion, 
flashing  black  eyes,  and  side-whiskers  of  graying 
black.  Rode  perfectly. 

He  halted  again,  returning  the  salute. 

"  By  direction  of  General  Scott  you  will  listen 
to  good  news,  men,"  he  said. 

Whereupon  another  officer,  who  evidently  was  the 
division  adjutant,  unfolded  a  paper,  and  read : 

"  The  commanding  general  of  the  Army  of  In- 
vasion takes  prompt  occasion  to  announce  to  his 
fellow  soldiers  that  by  battle  of  February  Twenty- 
second  and  Twenty-third,  at  Buena  Vista,  northeast- 
ern Mexico,  Major-General  Zachary  Taylor,  with  a 
force  of  less  than  forty-five  hundred,  decisively  de- 
79 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

feated  the  Mexican  general  Santa  Anna  and  twenty- 
three  thousand  of  the  best  troops  of  Mexico.  The 
commanding  general  desires  to  congratulate  his 
army  upon  this  great  victory  of  the  successful 
General  Taylor. 

"  By  command  of  Major-General  Scott. 
"  H.  L.  SCOTT, 

"  Assistant  Adjutant-General." 

"  Huzzah !  Huzzah !  Huzzah !  "  cheered  the  men. 

General  Worth  and  staff  rode  on,  leaving  excite- 
ment in  their  wake. 

"  I  told  you  so,"  Hannibal  cried.  "  Old  Zach  had 
mostly  Volunteers,  too.  But  that  made  no  differ- 
ence. And  now  you've  seen  Worth.  Just  like  him 
to  publish  those  orders  this  way,  instead  of  waiting 
for  parade.  And  fight  ?  Oh,  my !  I  guess  so !" 

"  I've  seen  him  before,"  Jerry  exclaimed,  remem- 
bering. "  He  jumped  ashore  first  when  you  all 
landed  on  the  beach." 

"  He  did  that.  The  First  Division  led  and  his 
boat  beat  and  he  was  first  out.  But  did  you  see  us 
land?  Where  were  you?  " 

"  Here  in  these  sand  hills,  cutting  brush." 

"  Wasn't  that  a  landing,  though !  We  set  a  rec- 
ord. General  Scott  and  Commodore  Conner  of  the 
navy  put  twelve  thousand  men  ashore  in  ten  hours, 
and  all  we  got  was  wet.  Never  lost  a  life.  That's 
discipline  for  you.  Whoo-ee !  Listen  to  those  guns 
talk!  The  dons  are  right  angry  to-day.  Guess 
they've  discovered  those  batteries  out  in  front.  Come 
on,  now,  if  you  want  to  see  the  fun." 

They  left  the  camp;  trudged  fast  until  they  ap- 
proached the  edge  of  the  dunes,  toward  the  city, 
80 


JERRY  MAKES  A  TOUR 

crossed  a  shallow  trench  or  road  that  wound  along, 
and  climbing  to  the  top  of  a  sand  hill  were  in  view 
of  the  plain  and  the  Mexican  batteries.  A  number 
of  soldiers  were  here,  watching.  They  had  dug  little 
hollows,  as  a  protection  from  shell  fragments. 

The  firing  had  increased.  The  city  and  the  castle 
of  San  Ulloa  were  shrouded  in  the  dense  smoke; 
the  plain  was  spouting  earth  and  brush,  but  it  was 
spouting  smoke  and  shot  and  shell  also,  for  American 
batteries  were  replying.  And  the  entrenched  line 
of  blue-coats,  supporting  the  artillery,  might 
be  glimpsed. 

"  Those  dons  are  trying  to  find  our  guns," 
asserted  Hannibal.  "  That  plain  is  full  of  trenches. 
Golly,  but  it  was  a  job  to  dig  them.  We  Regulars, 
and  the  Mohawks,  too,  had  to  work  by  night,  in 
shifts ;  and  we  got  jolly  well  peppered,  you  bet.  We 
didn't  dare  use  lanterns;  worked  by  the  feel,  in  the 
cactus  and  brush,  and  the  northers  near  smothered  us, 
besides.  We  were  marched  out  after  dark,  and 
every  man  grabbed  a  spade  and  his  orders  were  to 
dig  a  hole  eight  feet  long  and  five  feet  wide  and  six 
feet  deep.  When  the  holes  were  connected  they  made 
a  ditch  all  'round  the  city,  five  miles  not  counting 
the  sand-bags  and  parapets  and  battery  emplacements 
and  caves  for  magazines.  Then  we  and  the  sailors 
dragged  the  guns  clear  from  the  beach,  three  miles 
and  more,  through  the  sand  and  swamps.  We 
haven't  guns  enough  yet.  Only  sixteen  out  of  about 
sixty  that  the  general  expected.  The  most  of  'em 
are  ten-inch  mortars,  and  they're  no  good  for  breach- 
ing walls.  The  castle's  firing  thirteen-inch  shells 
at  us — sockdologers !  But  the  navy's  helping  the 
army  with  three  six-inch  solid-shot  guns  and  three 
6  81 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

eight-inch  Paixhan  shell  guns,  for  direct  fire  into 
the  walls.  Wait  till  that  Battery  Five  opens.  It's 
point-blank  range  of  the  walls  on  this  side." 

"  Is  the  army  all  'round  the  city  ?  " 

"  Yes,  siree,  boy.  The  First  Division  has  the 
right  of  line,  starting  at  the  beach.  That's  ours, 
Patterson's  Third  Division  Mohawks  have  the  center. 
They're  the  Voluntarios.  Twigg's  Regulars  of  the 
Second  Division  have  the  left,  reaching  to  the  beach 
on  the  other  side  of  the  city.  We've  got  the  Mexi- 
canos  cooped  up.  They  can't  sneak  out." 

It  was  a  great  sight — those  bursting  shells  and 
those  bounding  solid  shot,  some  of  which  ricochetted 
to  the  dunes  and  rolled  hither  thither.  Now  and 
then  shell  fragments  flew  past,  and  an  occasional 
long-range  shell  burst  behind.  The  soldiers  appeared 
to  enjoy  the  view.  They  seemed  to  know  what  was 
coming;  they  all  had  been  under  fire  before,  and 
every  few  moments  a  shot  or  shell  might  be  seen 
sailing  above  the  smoke. 

"Look  out,  boys!  There's  a  bomb — a  thirteen- 
inch,  from  the  castle!  " 

"  Here  comes  a  solid  shot.     Lie  low." 

"  There's  an  eight-inch,  again." 

Suddenly  a  lull  occurred  in  the  shouts  and  jokes. 
The  men  stiffened  as  they  lay  poking  their  heads 
up.  A  brilliant  group  of  officers  were  riding 
along  the  shallow  trench  or  road  at  the  inside 
base  of  the  sand  hill  parapets.  The  foremost 
was  a  very  large  man,  broad  shouldered  and  erect 
and  towering  high  upon  his  horse.  He  had  a  square, 
stern,  wrinkled  face,  smooth  shaven  except  for  grey 
side-whiskers  of  regulation  trim;  wore  a  plumed 
82 


JERRY  MAKES  A  TOUR 

chapeau  upon  his  grey  hair,  full  uniform  of  dark  blue, 
with  gold  buttons  in  a  double  row  down  the  front, 
Jieavy  gold  epaulets  on  the  shoulders,  and  broad 
gold  braid  following  his  trousers  seams.  A  sword  in 
engraved  scabbard  hung  at  his  left  side;  his  left 
arm  was  curiously  crooked.  A  splendid  horse  bore 
him  proudly. 

All  the  other  officers  were  in  full  uniform,  too, 
and  kept  behind  him. 

"  That's  Scott !  That's  General  Scott !  Old  Fuss 
and  Feathers  himself !  "  Hannibal  whispered.  "  Now 
mind  your  eye.  No  foolishness,  boy." 

General  Scott  turned  his  horse  and  rode  boldly 
right  up  the  sand  hill,  until  he  sat  looking  at  the 
plain  and  the  enemy  through  his  spy-glass.  The  men 
promptly  stood  up,  at  salute. 

"  Keep  down,  keep  down,  men,"  he  gruffly 
ordered.  "  You  shouldn't  expose  yourselves 
this  way." 

A  solid  shot  whistled  by  him,  and  he  never  stirred. 
A  shell  burst  in  front,  and  he  never  stirred.  He 
sat,  gazing. 

"  Sure,  sir,  you're  exposin'  yourself,  ain't  you?  " 
somebody  called. 

General  Scott  snapped  his  glass  together,  and 
smiled  grimly.  Jerry  could  see  his  grey  eyes,  as  he 
glanced  at  the  man.  They  were  of  a  keen  grey,  but 
kindly.  There  was  something  fatherly  as  well  as 
severe  about  him. 

"  Oh,  as  for  that,"  General  Scott  answered, 
"  generals,  nowadays,  can  be  made  of  anybody,  but 
men,  my  lad,  are  hard  to  get." 

He  leisurely  rode  back  to  his  staff ;  and  how  the 
soldiers  cheered ! 

83 


IN  THE  NAVAL  BATTERY 

"  LISTEN  !  "  Hannibal  cried. 

He  had  sharp  ears.  The  beat  of  drums  and  the 
shrill  of  fifes  could  be  faintly  heard,  sounding  from 
the  rear. 

"  That  means  us.  It's  the  Eighth  Infantry  march, 
as  a  warning  signal.  Expect  I'm  wanted.  Golly, 
hope  I  haven't  missed  musicians'  call.  Old  Peters — 
he's  drum  major— -will  be  mad  as  a  hornet.  A  drum- 
mer never  gets  any  rest,  anyhow.  Good-by.  See 
you  again.  You  look  me  up." 

Away  ran  Hannibal,  and  most  of  the  soldiers 
followed. 

"  More  trench  work,"  they  grumbled. 

The  place  seemed  very  empty.  Jerry  hesitated, 
and  wandered  after.  Before  he  got  to  the  camp  he 
met  a  double  file  marching  out  to  tap  of  drum,  their 
muskets  on  their  shoulders.  Hannibal  and  a  fifer 
led,  behind  a  sergeant.  Hannibal  wore  his  drum, 
suspended  from  a  pair  of  whitened  cross-belts  that 
almost  covered  his  chest.  He  gave  Jerry  a  wink,  as 
he  passed,  sturdily  shuttling  his  drumsticks. 

Jerry  fell  in  behind,  at  a  respectful  distance ;  soon 
he  lost  the  file  and  the  sound  of  the  drum,  but  he 
kept  on,  guided  by  wheel  tracks.  Next  he  had 
arrived  among  the  Volunteers  again,  where  they 
were  laughing  and  lounging  as  before,  except  that 
these  were  a  different  batch,  at  this  particular  spot — 
grimy  as  if  they  had  just  come  out  of  the  trenches, 
84 


IN  THE  NAVAL  BATTERY 

themselves.  Decidedly  it  was  easy  to  tell  a  Volun- 
teer from  a  Regular,  by  the  clothes  and  the  un- 
trimmed  hair  and  the  free  off-hand  manners. 

The  sun  was  high  and  hot;  a  perfect  day  had 
succeeded  to  the  stormy  night.  Jerry  continued, 
until  he  struck  the  big  trench  scored  by  the  broad 
tracks.  He  was  heading  back  for  the  naval  battery ; 
and  presently  there  he  was,  once  more,  his  farther 
way  blocked  by  the  great  guns  and  a  mass  of  sailors. 

Nobody  noticed  him.  The  cross-trench  for  the 
battery  was  ringing  with  orders  and  with  the  crash 
of  shells  from  the  castle  and  city.  The  magazine 
was  open — a  squad  of  sailors  stood  beside  each  gun 
— the  cannon  were  being  loaded — the  charges  were 
rammed  home  by  two  sailors  to  each  rammer — 
there  was  a  quick  order,  repeated  by  the  bo's'ns,  who 
blew  their  whistles;  and  as  if  by  magic  all  the  brush 
fringing  the  cannon  muzzles  was  swept  away  with 
cutlasses  and  brawny  arms. 

With  a  cheer  the  sailors  holding  the  rope  tackle 
hauled  hard  and  the  enormous  cannon  darted  silently 
forward,  so  that  their  muzzles  were  thrust  beyond 
the  parapet. 

A  sailor  behind  each  breech  drew  his  cord  taut.  It 
was  attached  at  the  other  end  to  a  large  lever,  like 
a  trigger,  connected  with  an  upraised  hammer. 

A  gunner  sighted — screwed  down,  screwed  up, 
sprang  aside — 

"  Aye,  aye,  sir !  " 

"  Aye,  aye,  sir!  "  announced  the  other  squinting 
gunners,  one  to  each  piece. 

"Fire!"  shouted  the  battery  officer,  with  dash 
of  sword. 

85 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

The  lock  strings  were  jerked  viciously.  Such  a 
thunderous  blast  tore  the  air  to  shreds  that  Jerry's 
ear  drums  felt  driven  right  into  his  head,  and  the  suc- 
tion of  the  air,  following  the  report,  dragged  him 
upon  his  nose. 

The  smoke  gushed  wider  and  higher.  He  could 
see  the  officers  standing  and  peering  through  their 
spy-glasses,  at  the  city ;  they  shouted — he  could  not 
hear  a  word,  but  the  smoking  guns  had  recoiled  in- 
ward until  checked  by  ropes  and  chocks ;  the  rammers 
swabbed  with  the  swab  ends  of  their  long  ramrods ; 
other  sailors  thumbed  the  vent  holes;  the  swabbers 
reversed  their  tools ;  sailors  rapidly  inserted  a  flannel 
bag  of  powder  into  each  muzzle;  in  it  went,  forced 
home  by  the  ramrods ;  shells  for  some  guns,  shot  for 
others,  had  been  handed  up — were  rammed  down — 
out  rolled  the  guns,  to  the  haul  on  block  and  tackle — 

"  Aye,  aye,  sir !  " 

"Fire!" 

"  Boom-m-m! " 

The  sailors  appeared  to  be  cheering  as  they  toiled. 
The  guns  thundered  and  smoked — recoiled  as  if 
alive  and  eager,  were  sponged  and  loaded  and  run  out 
again ;  every  man  was  on  the  jump,  but  they  all  moved 
like  clockwork.  Cowering  there,  back  of  the  maga- 
zine, and  glued  to  the  side  of  the  trench,  Jerry  stared 
roundly.  Nobody  paid  any  attention  to  him.  All 
were  too  busy  to  take  heed  of  a  ragged  boy. 

"Bang!"  A  return  shot  had  arrived.  It  was 
a  shell,  and  had  burst  so  near  that  the  fragments  and 
the  dirt  rained  down. 

"Bang!"    Another.     The   naval    battery   had 
been  discovered,  and  Jerry  was  under  fire. 
86 


IN  THE  NAVAL  BATTERY 

The  naval  guns  and  the  guns  of  the  city  forts 
answered  one  another  furiously.  What  a  clangor 
and  turmoil — what  a  smother  of  hot  smoke  from 
the  cannon  muzzles  and  the  bursting  shells!  Solid 
shot  thudded  in,  too.  They  ripped  across  the  para- 
pet, cutting  gashes  and  sending  the  sand-bags  flying. 
They  bounded  into  the  trench,  and  lay  there  spinning, 
ugly  and  black.  It  was  hard  to  tell  whether  they 
were  really  solid  or  were  going  to  burst.  Horrors ! 
One  of  the  men  passing  ammunition  had  lost  his 
head!  A  solid  shot  skimming  through  the  same 
slot  out  of  which  a  cannon  muzzle  pointed  had  taken 
the  man's  head  off;  he  crumpled  like  a  sack,  and 
Jerry  felt  sick  at  the  red  sight. 

When  he  opened  his  eyes  and  had  to  look  again, 
shuddering,  the  body  was  gone;  another  sailor — a 
live  one — stood  in  the  place,  and  the  guns  were  boom- 
ing as  before. 

All  the  guns  of  the  city  forts  on  this  side  seemed 
to  be  firing  at  the  naval  battery.  Several  sailors 
had  been  wounded;  a  young  officer  was  down  and 
bleeding.  The  wounded  were  staggering  to  the  rear ; 
one  stopped  and  sank  beside  Jerry.  He  had  an  arm 
dangling  and  crimsoned,  and  a  bloody  head. 

"  Ship  ahoy,  matie,"  he  gasped.  Jerry  recog- 
nized him  as  his  first  friend  of  the  night  preceding. 
"You're  here  again,  are  you?  D'  you  know  where 
the  sickbay  is?" 

"  No,  sir,"  said  Jerry. 

"  It's  aft  some'ers  down  this  bloomin'  trench. 
Lend  me  a  tow,  will  you  ?    I've  got  a  spar  nigh  shot 
off  and  a  bit  o'  shell  in  my  figgerhead.    Hard  for  me 
jto  keep  a  course,  d'  you  see  ?  " 
87 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

"  All  right.     You  tell  me  where  to  take  you." 

"  Right-o,  my  hearty.  Steady,  there.  P'int  due 
sou'-sou'east.  The  sick  bay  and  the  bloody  saw- 
bones'11  be  some'ers  abeam.  You'll  smell  the 
arnicky." 

With  the  shells  exploding  and  the  cannon-balls 
pursuing  they  made  way  down  the  trench,  the  sailor 
leaning  with  his  sound  arm  on  Jerry's  shoulders. 

The  sick  bay,  or  hospital,  was  a  sandbag-covered 
room  at  one  side ;  not  a  pleasant  place — oh,  no,  for 
wounds  were  being  dressed  and  things  were  being 
cut  off  by  the  navy  surgeon  and  his  assistant.  Still, 
it  seemed  to  be  safe  from  the  shot  and  shell,  and 
there  were  not  many  wounded,  yet ;  only  four  or  five. 
So  Jerry  lingered,  until  the  surgeon  espied  him  and 
set  him  at  work  picking  lint,  serving  water,  and 
so  forth. 

The  reports  from  the  battery  were  encouraging, 
judging  by  the  conversation.  The  six  guns  were  all 
in  action,  together :  the  three  Paixhans,  which  threw 
shells  eight  inches  in  diameter  and  weighing  sixty- 
eight  pounds,  and  the  three  solid-shot  pieces,  which 
threw  balls,  six  inches  in  diameter,  and  weighing 
thirty-two  pounds.  These  were  the  heaviest  Ameri- 
can guns  firing  yet,  for  breaching. 

"  Yes,  shiver  my  timbers ! "  growled  Jerry's 
sailor1  to  one  of  the  other  wounded.  "  Scott  axed 
for  'em,  didn't  he  Would  the  commodore  please 
to  land  a  few  o'  the  navy  toys  and  furnish  the  bass 
in  this  here  music?  Would  the  navy  lend  the  army 
some  genuyine  main-deck  guns,  of  a  kind  to  fire  a 
broadside  with  and  send  the  bloomin'  dons  to  Davy 
Jones  ?  '  Bless  my  bloody  eyes ! '  says  the  commo- 


IN  THE  NAVAL  BATTERY 

dore.  '  Sartinly  I  will,  general.  But  I  must  fight 
'em/  And  ain't  we  a-fightin'  of  'em?  Well,  I  guess 
we  are,  matie !  " 

So  being  navy  guns,  they  were  being  "  fought " 
by  the  navy.  From  seven  hundred  yards  their  shot 
and  shell  were  tearing  right  through  the  walls  of  the 
city.  The  astonished  Mexicans  were  fighting  back 
with  three  batteries,  all  aimed  at  the  naval  battery, 
to  put  it  out. 

The  army  was  erecting  another  battery,  nearby — 
Battery  Number  4,  of  the  heaviest  army  cannon, 
sixty-eight-pounders  and  twenty- four-pounders. 
Pretty  soon  these  would  join  with  the  navy  fire. 

The  work  in  the  sick  bay  slackened,  and  Jerry 
stole  up  "  forward  "  again.  The  din  and  the  rush  were 
as  bad  as  ever.  The  sailors,  bared  to  the  waist,  were 
black  with  powder  grime  and  streaked  with  sweat, 
on  faces,  bodies  and  arms.  The  guns  were  alive  and 
alert — they  were  monsters,  belching,  darting  back, 
fuming-  while  they  waited  to  be  fed,  then  eagerly 
darting  to  belch  once  more. 

After  each  shot  the  gun  squads  cheered,  peering 
an  instant  through  the  fog. 

"  Another  for  the  dons'  lockers !  " 

"  Hooray,  lads !  We've  cut  his  bloomin'  flag 
away." 

"  No,  no !    It's  up  again." 

Yonder,  across  the  heaving  plain,  the  figure  of  a 
Mexican  officer  had  leaped  upon  the  parapet  of  a 
bastion  fort  set  in  the  walls  and  was  fastening  the 
Mexican  flag  to  its  broken  flagpole.  It  was  a  brave 
act.  Cheers  greeted  him. 

89 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

The  crew  in  front  of  Jerry  reloaded  at  top  speed. 
The  great  gun  spoke. 

"  They're  serving  those  pieces  like  rifles,'*  said 
somebody,  in  Jerry's  ear.  "  By  thunder,  they're 
planting  shot  and  shell  exactly  where  they  please." 
That  was  the  surgeon,  who  had  come  forward  for  a 
view.  "  But  the  enemy's  making  mighty  good  prac- 
tice, too.  He  has  German  artillery  officers." 

Suddenly  the  surgeon  yelled,  and  grabbing  Jerry 
forced  him  flat. 

"Look  sharp!" 

The  parapet  of  the  battery  was  scored  ragged. 
The  gun  platforms  and  the  trench  were  littered  with 
shell  fragments  and  spent  solid  shot.  Now  there 
had  sounded  a  soft "  plump  "  or  thud.  A  round  black 
sphere  as  large  as  Jerry's  head  had  landed  in  the 
bottom  of  the  wide  space  behind  the  guns — it  was 
only  a  few  feet  to  the  rear  of  the  quarter-gunner  who 
stood  holding  in  his  arms  a  copper  tank  con- 
taining the  powder  charges.  Each  charge  weighed 
ten  pounds. 

He  heard  the  thump,  and  what  did  he  do  but  turn 
and  stoop  and  put  his  hand  upon  the  thing!  Evi- 
dently it  was  hot — it  was  smoking — a  shell !  Down 
dived  the  quarter-gunner,  quick  as  a  wink,  plastering 
himself  against  the  ground.  There  was  a  chorus 
of  startled  shouts,  and — "Boom!"  the  shell 
had  exploded. 

The  tremendous  shock  drove  Jerry  rolling  over 
and  over.  As  seemed  to  him,  the  trench  and  the 
emplacements  and  the  battery  and  all  the  men  had 
been  blown  to  bits.  But  when  he  picked  himself  up 
amidst  the  dense  smoke,  instead  of  seeing  bloody 
99 


IN  THE  NAVAL  BATTERY 

shreds  everywhere,  he  saw  the  men  likewise  picking 
themselves  up  and  staring  about  dazedly.  The  ammu- 
nition chest  had  exploded  also,  but  even  the  quarter- 
gunner  had  not  been  harmed.  One  lieutenant  had 
had  his  hat-brim  torn  off;  that  was  all. 

"  A  thirteen-inch  bomb,  from  the  castle,"  the 
surgeon  remarked.  "  Young  man,  we'd  better  get 
out  of  here,  and  stay  where  we  belong." 

"  Send  that  boy  out  of  fire,"  an  officer  barked. 
"  Now,  my  hearties !  Show  those  fellows  we're 
still  alive." 

Cheering,  the  sailors  jumped  to  their  task. 

His  head  ringing,  Jerry  stumbled  back  with  the 
surgeon.  And  at  the  hospital  he  got  a  quick  dismissal. 

"  You  heard  the  orders,  youngster.  Follow  your 
nose  and  keep  going." 

That  was  good  advice,  when  such  shells  were 
landing  and  he  could  be  of  no  use.  So  Jerry  scuttled 
back  down  the  trench,  hoping  to  run  upon  Hanni- 
bal somewhere. 


VI 

SECOND  LIEUTENANT  GRANT 

THE  Volunteer  section  of  the  trenches,  extending 
right  and  left  back  of  the  naval  battery,  had  not 
escaped  the  fire  of  the  Mexican  guns.  It  was  filled 
with  the  blue-coats  and  blue-caps,  as  before;  but 
shot  and  shell  had  ripped  it,  squads  were  repairing 
it,  under  fire,  by  throwing  up  fresh  sand  and  stow- 
ing the  sandbags  more  securely.  The  other  men 
crouched  nervously,  their  muskets  grasped,  as  if 
they  were  awaiting  the  word  to  charge.  Some  of 
them  grinned  at  Jerry,  when  he  paused  to  look  in; 
they  leveled  jokes  at  him. 

"  Did  you  get  blown  up,  bub?  " 
"  How's  the  weather,  where  you've  been?  " 
"  Does  your  maw  know  you're  out  ?  " 
But  Jerry  pressed  on  again,  "  following  his  nose/' 
and  trying  to  dodge  shell  fragments;  tried  a  short 
cut  among  the  dunes,  rounded  one  of  the  numerous 
lagoons  or  marshes,  where  soldiers  off  duty  were 
washing  their  socks;  and  sooner  than  he  had  ex- 
pected he  had  entered  the  camp  of  the  Regulars, 
once  more. 

He  could  tell  it  by  the  looks  of  it.  The  men 
were  better  "set  up "  than  average,  seemed  well 
cared  for,  acted  business  like;  their  older  officers 
were  brusque,  the  younger  were  stiff-backed  and 
slim-waisted,  and  as  a  rule  they  all  sat  or  stood  apart 
from  the  soldiers. 

The  hour  was  after  noon;  he  knew  this  by  the 
92 


SECOND  LIEUTENANT  GRANT 

sun,  dimly  shining  through  the  drifting  smoke  cloud, 
and  by  his  empty  stomach — amazingly  empty  now 
that  he  thought  about  it.  But  he  had  not  laid  eyes 
upon  Hannibal,  yet,  nor  anybody  else  that  he  ever 
had  seen  before. 

He  happened  to  stop  for  a  moment  near  a  young 
officer.  The  officer  was  composedly  standing  by 
himself,  his  hands  in  his  pockets  as  if  he  were  not  at 
all  concerned  about  the  racket  at  the  front  He  had 
a  smooth-shaven,  rather  square  face,  dark  brown 
hair  and  blue-grey  eyes,  and  was  stocky  but  not  large. 
In  fact,  was  scarcely  medium.  He  had  a  thoughtful, 
resolute  look,  however — a  quiet  way,  that  is,  which 
might  make  anyone  hesitate  to  tackle  him  for  trouble. 

He  gave  Jerry  a  slow,  quizzical  smile. 

"  Well,  my  lad,  what  do  you  want  here?  " 

"  Will  you  please  tell  me  if  this  is  the  Eighth 
United  States  Infantry  ?  "  Jerry  asked. 

"  No.  That's  in  the  Second  Brigade.  This  is 
the  Fourth  Infantry,  First  Brigade." 

"Then  where  is  the  Eighth  Infantry?"  asked 
Jerry. 

"  The  Eighth  is  posted  with  the  Second  Brigade, 
farther  on.  You'll  see  the  regimental  flag.  What 
do  you  want  with  the  Eighth  Regiment  ?  " 

"  I  know  a  boy  there.  He  promised  to  get  me 
a  job." 

"  What  kind  of  a  job?  " 

"  He  didn't  say,  but  he's  a  drummer  boy." 

"  You  reckon  on  being  a  drummer  boy  ?  Better 
not.  There's  one  with  his  arm  shot  off,  already." 

"  Not  Hannibal !  "  Jerry  exclaimed. 

"Hannibal  who?" 

93 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

"  Hannibal  Moss.    He's  the  boy  I  mean." 

"  Oh,  no;  not  that  young  rascal  of  the  Eighth. 
Another  boy  by  the  name  of  Rome,  over  in  the 
Twiggs  division.  Now  he'll  be  a  cripple  for  life." 

"  Will  he  have  to  go  home?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  Well,"  said  Jerry,  "  I'd  hate  to  have  my  arm 
shot  off,  but  I'd  hate  worse  to  have  to  go  home  and 
miss  all  the  rest  of  the  fighting.  Could  I  get  his 
job,  do  you  think?  " 

The  officer  laughed.  When  he  laughed,  his  face 
lighted  up. 

"  I  don't  believe  that  this  army  can  wait  until 
you  learn  to  drum.  We're  liable  to  be  busy  from  now 
on.  Where  did  you  come  from?  Where  are  your 
folks?" 

"  Haven't  any.    I've  been  in  the  naval  battery." 

"  You  have !    Belong  to  the  navy,  do  you?  " 

"  No,  sir.  I  don't  seem  to  belong  anywhere.  I 
ran  away  from  Vera  Cruz  last  night.  I'm  an 
American." 

"  So  I  see.  Well,  how  do  you  like  the  naval 
battery?" 

"  It's  pretty  lively,"  said  Jerry,  shaking  his  head. 
"  They  didn't  want  me,  there,  so  I  came  back  to 
the  army." 

"  You'd  better  go  on  to  the  rear;  go  down  to  the 
beach,  and  some  of  those  camp  followers  will  take 
care  of  you." 

"  Are  they  a  part  of  the  army?  ): 

"  Not   exactly,"    the   officer    grimly   answered. 

"  Their  duty  seems  to  lie  in  raking  in  the  army's 

money  as  fast  as  they  can  bamboozle  us.    Still,  the 

laundresses  are  rather  necessary.    Til  speak  to  some 

94 


SECOND  LIEUTENANT  GRANT 

laundress  about  you,  when  I  have  opportunity.    Are 
you  willing  to  scrub  clothes  in  a  tub?  " 

"  No,"  Jerry  declared  honestly.  "  I  think  I'd 
rather  join  the  army  and  help  figjht.  Are  you 
a  general  ?  " 

"  I  ?  "  The  young  officer  acted  astonished.  "  Not 
yet.  I'm  only  Second  Lieutenant  Grant.  I'm  about 
as  far  from  being  a  general  as  you  are." 

"  But  you're  fighting,  anyway." 

"  Not  very  fiercely,  at  present.  The  artillery  is 
doing  the  fighting.  After  the  artillery  has  opened 
the  way,  then  the  infantry  will  have  a  chance." 

"Well,"  said  Jerry,  "I  guess  I'd  better  be 
going  on." 

"  Look  here,"  spoke  Lieutenant  Grant.  "  I'll 
wager  you're  hungry.  Aren't  you?  " 

"  Yes,  sir." 

"  You  see  that  tent  at  the  end  of  the  row  ?  "  And 
Lieutenant  Grant  pointed.  "  That's  my  quarters — 
mine  and  Lieutenant  Sidney  Smith's.  You  go  there 
and  you'll  find  a  darky;  or  you'll  find  him  if  he  isn't 
somewhere  else.  He's  Smith's  servant.  You  tell 
Pompey  that  Lieutenant  Grant  sent  you  to  get  some- 
thing to  eat.  Then  you  can  tidy  up  my  things.  I 
reckon,"  added  Lieutenant  Grant,  stubbornly,  as  if 
to  himself,  "  that  I'll  show  Smith  I  can  have  a  body- 
guard as  well  as  he  can." 

"  And  shall  I  stay  there  ?  "  Jerry  asked  eagerly. 

"  You  say  you  want  to  join  the  army.  So  if 
you're  willing  to  play  understudy  to  a  mere  second 
lieutenant  instead  of  to  a  drum  major,  maybe  we 
can  come  to  some  agreement.  At  any  rate,  go  get 
a  meal." 

Jerry  hustled  for  the  tent.     The  flaps  were  open, 
95 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

nobody  was  within,  but  on  the  sunny  side,  without, 
he  discovered  a  young  darky  asleep,  on  his  back,  with 
a  bandanna  handkerchief  over  his  face  to  keep 
off  the  flies. 

The  darky  was  dressed  in  a  torn  whitish  cotton 
shirt,  a  pair  of  old  army  trousers,  sky-blue,  tied 
about  his  waist  with  a  rope,  and  gaping  shoes  from 
which  his  toes  peeped  out. 

He  was  snoring.  But  Jerry  had  to  get  something 
to  eat,  according  to  orders. 

"  Hello,"  he  said,  gazing  down. 

The  bandanna  rose  and  fell;  the  snores  contin- 
ued. Shot  and  shell  and  big  guns  made  no  differ- 
ence to  this  darky. 

Jerry  considered.  He  broke  a  twig  from  a  scrap 
of  bush  and  tickled  the  toes.  They  twitched,  the 
snores  changed  to  grunts,  the  bandanna  wriggled, 
and  on  a  sudden  with  a  prodigious  "  Oof !  G'way 
from  dar ! "  the  darky  blew  off  his  bandanna  and 
sort  of  burst  into  sitting  up,  staring  wildly,  his 
eyes  rolling. 

"  Who  you?  "  he  accused.  "  Wha'  fo'  you  do 
dat,  ticklin'  me  like  one  o'  dem  t'ousand-leggers  ? 
I'se  gwine  to  lambast  you  fo*  dat,  you  white  limb 
o'  Satan!" 

"  Lieutenant  Grant  said  you'd  find  me  something 
to  eat,"  Jerry  explained.  "  I  didn't  mean  to 
scare  you." 

"  Scyare  me?  Oof!  I  shuah  felt  one  o'  dem 
t'ousand-legger  centipeders  crawlin'  right  inside  my 
shoes.  Huh!  I  don't  give  house  room  to  no  t'ousand- 
leggers.  What  you  say  you  want?  Who-all 
sent  you?" 

96 


SECOND  LIEUTENANT  GRANT 

"  Lieutenant  Grant.  He  said  you  were  to  find 
me  something  to  eat." 

"  Where  am  dat  Lieutenant  Grant?  " 

"  Over  there.  He  was  there,  but  he's  gone  now." 
For  Lieutenant  Grant  had  disappeared. 

"  Done  issued  me  ohders,  did  he  ?  I  don't  belong 
to  no  second  lieutenant.  I  belong  to  Lieutenant 
Smith.  He  fust  lieutenant.  If  he  say  to  feed  white 
trash,  I  got  to  feed  'em,  but  I  ain't  takin'  ohders  from 
no  second  lieutenant." 

"  I'll  go  back  and  tell  him,"  Jerry  proffered. 
"  There  he  is."  Lieutenant  Grant  was  in  sight,  talk- 
ing with  another  officer.  Once  he  glanced  toward  the 
tent ;  and  his  glance  could  be  felt. 

The  darky  hastily  sprang  up. 

"  Reckon  I'll  find  you  sumpin.  Yes,  suh ;  when 
anybody's  jined  the  ahmy  he's  got  to  'bey  his  s'perior 
offercers.  Come  along,  white  boy.  Where  you 
from,  anyhow  ?  " 

"  Vera  Cruz." 

"  You  from  Very  Cruz  ?    What  you  do  dar  ?  " 

"  Worked  for  my  keep.     Last  night  I  ran  away." 

"  You  an  American  boy  ?  " 

"  Yes,  of  course." 

"  Hi  yi  I  "  Pompey  chuckled  "  'Spec'  Very  Cruz 
ain't  a  place  to  lib  in,  dese  days.  Hi  yi !  Guess 
when  dose  big  bombs  come  a-sailin'  dey  say : '  Where 
dose  Mexicans?  Where  dose  Mexicans?  Here  dey 
be,  here  dey  be — Boom !  Now  where  dey  be  ?  '  Yes, 
suh,  white  folks  better  get  out.  Bombs  cain't  take 
time  to  'stinguish  color.  Gin'ral  Scott,  he  in  berry 
big  hurry  to  march  on  to  City  ob  Mexico.  Gwine 
to  spend  Fo'th  ob  Jooly  in  Halls  ob  Montyzoomy, 
7  97 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

eatin'  off 'n  golden  platters.  Come  along,  white  boy. 
Ain't  got  nuffin'  but  cold  cohn  pone  an'  salt  boss,  but 
I'll  feed  you.  You  gwine  to  jine  the  ahmy  ?  " 

"  Hope  to,"  said  Jerry. 

"  What's  yo'  name?" 

"Jerry  Cameron." 

"  Any  kin  to  the  No'th  Car'liny  Camerons?  " 

"  I  don't  know.     I  haven't  any  folks." 

"  Sho',  now !  Dem  No'th  Car'liny  Camerons  are 
mighty  uppity  people.  Dat  Lieutenant  Grant,  he  a 
fine  man,  too.  But  I'm  'tached  to  Fust  Lieutenant 
Smith,  Fo'th  United  States  Infantry.  If  you  get 
'tached  to  Lieutenant  Grant,  I'm  uppitier  than  you 
are,  remember.  When  you  work  'round  with  me 
you  got  to  'bey  my  ohders.  I'm  yo'  s'perior  offercer." 

"  All  right,  Pompey,"  Jerry  agreed. 

He  munched  the  cornbread  and  salt  beef,  and 
Pompey  chattered  on. 

"  Listen  to  dem  guns  talk !  Oof !  Talkin'  a  way 
right  through  dem  walls,  laike  the  horn  ob  Jericho. 
Mebbe  to-morrow  Gin'ral  Scott  wave  his  sword,  an' 
Lieutenant  Smith  an'  me  an'  all  the  rest  de  ahmy, 
we  fix  bagonets  an'  go  rampagin'  'crost  dat  patch  ob 
lebbel  ground  an'  capture  all  dem  Mexicans.  What 
you  gwine  to  do  den  ?  " 

"  Go,  too,  I  guess,"  said  Jerry. 

"  We  don't  'low  no  nuncumbatants  along  when 
we-all  charge,"  Pompey  asserted.  "  Ob  co'se  I  got 
to  stay  with  Massa  Smith,  I'se  part  the  ahmy.  But 
when  dose  cannon  balls  come  a-sayin'  '  Hum-m-m, 
where  dat  little  white  boy?',  what  you  gwine  to 
do  den?" 

"  I'd  dodge  'em,"  said  Jerry. 
98 


SECOND  LIEUTENANT  GRANT 

"  Wha'  dat?  You  dodge  'em?  Now  you  talk 
foolish.  Guess  you  nebber  fit  a  battle  yet.  We-all 
am  vet'rans.  We-all  belong  to  the  Fo'th  Infantry. 
We-all  fit  under  Gin'ral  Taylor.  The  Fo'th  Infan- 
try done  licked  dem  Mexicans  out  o'  Texas  an'  clyar 
into  Mexico  till  dar  warn't  any  more  to  lick;  den 
Gin'ral  Scott,  he  said :  '  I  got  to  have  dat  Fo'th 
Infantry  to  whup  Santy  Annie  an'  capture  the  City 
ob  Mexico.'  If  you  gwine  to  jine  the  Fo'th  Infan- 
try, boy,  you  meet  up  with  a  heap  o'  trouble.  We 
don't  dodge  cannon  balls.  We  hain't  time.  We 
jest  let  'em  zoop  an'  we  keep  a~goinV 

"  All  those  cannon  balls  don't  hit  somebody," 
said  Jerry. 

"  Um-m-irL  How  you  know  ?  You  talk  laike 
you'd  been  sojerin*.  Where  you  hide  yo'self,  after 
you  leave  Very  Cruz?  'Way  back  on  the  beach?  " 

"  No.    I've  been  in  the  naval  battery." 

"  Wha'  dat?  "  Pompey's  eyes  stuck  out.  "  Out 
dar,  with  dose  big  guns?  You  lie,  boy.  How  you 
get  dar?  " 

"  I  tumbled  into  it,  last  night." 

"Befo'theshootin'?" 

"  Yes ;  but  I  went  back  this  morning.  I  stayed 
as  long  as  they'd  let  me.  Then  a  big  shell  burst 
right  inside  and  an  officer  made  me  get  out." 

"  Sho' !  "  Pompey  exclaimed.  "  You  been  under 
fiah?  'Pears  laike  you  don't  talk  more'n  Lieutenant 
Grant.  He's  the  least  talkin'est  man  I  ebber  did 
see.  He  shuah  don't  take  any  back  seat  in  fightin', 
though.  Um-m-m,  no  indeedy!  Dar  at  Monterey 
he  rode  so  fast  Mexican  bullets  couldn't  ketch  him. 
Powerful  man  on  a  hoss,  dat  Lieutenant  Grant. 

99 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

But  you  'member,  now,  if  you  stay  'round  hyar, 
waitin'  on  him,  I  don't  take  ohders  from  you.  You 
take  'em  from  me.  I'm  sarvent  to  a  fust  lieutenant ; 
yo'  man's  only  a  second  lieutenant.  He  may  be 
good  man ;  but  dat's  ahmy  way.  I'm  yo'  s'perior  in 
the  ahmy." 

"  All  right/'  Jerry  agreed  again. 

"  Now  I'm  gwine  back  to  sleep,  an'  don't  you 
tickle  my  toes.  No,  suh !  I  ain't  'feared  ob  bombs, 
but  I'se  drefful  scyared  ob  t'ousand-leggers.  Dar's 
yo'  side  the  tent,  where  Lieutenant  Grant  sleeps. 
You  kin  tidy  it  up,  if  you  gwine  to  stay." 

Pompey  went  to  sleep,  as  before.  Jerry  found 
little  to  do.  Lieutenant  Grant's  side  of  the  tent  was 
in  apple-pie  order,  not  a  thing  misplaced.  The  whole 
interior  of  the  tent  was  as  neat  as  a  pin.  There 
were  only  a  couple  of  cots,  two  canvas  stools,  a 
folding  table,  two  blue  painted  chests,  with  canteens, 
overcoats,  and  a  few  small  articles  hanging  up. 

After  fiddling  about,  Jerry  strolled  out.  Pompey 
was  snoring,  the  guns  of  batteries  and  city  and  castle 
were  thundering,  soldiers  were  drilling  or  sitting  in 
groups  Lieutenant  Grant  came  walking  hastily. 

"  Did  that  darky  treat  you  well?  " 

"  Yes,  sir.     I  had  something  to  eat." 

"That's  good." 

"  But  I  didn't  find  much  to  do  in  the  tent." 

"  I  suppose  not.  Well,  I'm  on  quartermaster 
detail,  and  I  may  not  be  back  to-night.  You'll  have 
to  look  out  for  yourself." 

"Can  I  stay?" 

"Where?" 

"  With  you  and  the  Fourth  Infantry." 
100 


SECOND  LIEUTENANT  GRANT 

"  I  shouldn't  wonder,"  Lieutenant  .Gra*it  sroil 
"  How  are  you  at  foraging?  " 

"  I  don't  know.     I'll  try." 

"  Pompey'll  teach  you.  He'll  take  eggs  from  a 
setting  hen.  If  Lieutenant  Smith  turns  up  and  asks 
who  you  are,  you  tell  him  you're  attached  to  the 
Fourth  Infantry  as  chief  forager  for  Lieutenant 
U.  S.  Grant." 

"  Sha'n't  you  need  me  any  more  to-day?" 
Jerry  asked. 

"  No.  You  can  report  in  the  morning.  You 
may  sleep  in  my  bunk  to-night  unless  I'm  there  first 
That  will  keep  the  fleas  from  getting  too  hungry." 

"  I'd  like  to  find  the  Eighth  Infantry  and  tell 
Hannibal  Moss  I'm  in  the  army." 

"  Go  ahead." 

Lieutenant  Grant  hurried  on.  He  mounted  a 
horse  and  galloped  for  the  beach.  Jerry  went  seek- 
ing the  Eighth  Infantry. 

The  sun  was  much  lower  in  the  west.  The  bom- 
bardment had  dwindled.  It  was  said  that  ammuni- 
tion for  the  mortars  and  other  guns  had  run  short 
until  more  could  be  landed  through  the  heavy  surf 
from  the  ships.  The  firing  of  the  naval  battery  guns 
had  ceased  entirely 

By  the  time  that  Jerry  had  found  the  Eighth  In- 
fantry the  sun  was  setting  and  throughout  the  camp 
the  company  cooks  were  preparing  supper.  A  de- 
tachment of  sailors  marched  up  from  the  beach,  at 
their  rolling  gait,  to  relieve  the  crews  in  the  battery. 
They  were  given  a  cheer. 

"Hello,  there!" 

It  was  Hannibal,  again.  He  stood  up  and  beck- 
oned. Jerry  gladly  went  over  to  him. 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 


ft  gping?  " 

"  Looking  for  you,  is  all." 

"  Good.  Wait  a  minute,  till  after  retreat.  I've 
got  to  beat  retreat." 

"  Do  you  have  to  retreat?"  Jerry  blurted,  aghast. 

"Naw;  not  that  kind.  Not  for  Old  Fuss  and 
Feathers.  Cracky,  but  you're  green!  It's  evening 
roll-call  and  parade." 

Through  the  camp  drums  were  tapping,  fifes 
squeaking,  horns  blaring.  Officers  were  striding,  but- 
toning their  jackets  and  buckling  on  their  swords. 
Soldiers  were  seizing  muskets  from  the  stacks  and 
forming  lines  under  their  gruff  sergeants.  Hannibal 
himself  ran  and  grabbed  his  drum  from  a  stack  of 
muskets,  and  disappeared  around  a  tent.  Sergeants 
were  calling  the  company  rolls.  And  m  a  few  mo- 
ments here  came  the  regiment's  band,  and  the  fifers 
and  drummers,  in  a  broad,  short  column,  playing 
a  lively  march  tune;  led  by  a  whopping  big  drum 
major,  in  a  long  scarlet  coat,  gay  with  gilt  braid  and 
cord,  on  his  head  a  shako  which  with  nodding  plume 
looked  to  be  three  feet  high,  in  his  hand  a  tas- 
seled  staff 

The  music  formed  on  a  level  space,  the  band  to 
the  fore,  then  a  rank  of  fifers,  then  a  rank  of  drum- 
mers —  with  all  the  little  drummer  boys  bursting 
through  their  tightly  fitting  uniforms  of  red-braided 
snug  jackets  and  sky-blue  long  trousers  flaring  at  the 
bottoms,  their  swords  by  their  sides,  their  drums 
slung  from  their  white  cross-belts,  their  caps  tilted 
saucily.  Hannibal  was  there,  rolling  his  drumsticks 
as  lustily  as  the  others. 

The  regiment  followed,  marching*  by  companies, 

102 


SECOND  LIEUTENANT  GRANT 

the  stars  and  stripes  and  the  regimental  flag  of  blue 
and  gold  at  the  head.  The  companies  changed  direc- 
tion into  line  three  ranks  deep,  on  the  left  of 
the  music. 

"  Eyes — right !    Right — dress !  " 

It  was  funny  to  see  those  eyes. 

"Front!" 

The  eyes  gazed  straight  before. 

A  man  on  horseback,  who  must  have  been  the 
colonel,  sat  out  in  front. 

"  Support — arms !  " 

"  Carry — arms !  " 

"Right  shoulder— shift!" 

"  Shoulder — arms !  " 

"  Present— arms !  " 

The  band  and  field  music  marched  up  and  down, 
playing  bravely.  The  two  ranks  stood  motionless, 
the  soldiers  as  stiff  as  ramrods,  their  muskets  held 
perpendicularly  in  front  of  them.  Why,  compared 
with  these  Regulars  the  Mexican  Regulars,  even  the 
famous  Eleventh  Infantry  of  the  Line,  were 
only  slouchers. 

The  music  resumed  position ;  the  drums  rolled,  a 
bugler  lilted  a  kind  of  call. 

Pretty  soon  the  colonel  turned  his  horse  and 
left ;  the  company  officers  barked  snappy  orders,  and 
the  companies  were  marched  back  to  stack  arms  again 
and  be  dismissed.  Hannibal  came  rollicking  with- 
out his  drum. 

"I'm  off  till  tattoo  at  half-past  nine,"  he  an- 
nounced, to  Jerry.  "  No  guard  duty.  Our  com- 
pany's to  rest.  If  I  wasn't  a  drummer  I  wouldn't 
have  anything  to  do  till  to-morrow.  But  a  drummer 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

never  gets  much  rest.  He  has  to  be  Johnny-on-the- 
Spot  all  the  time.  Just  wait  till  you're  a  drum- 
mer. What  you  want  to  do?  Where' ve  you  been 
since  morning?" 

"  I  was  up  in  the  naval  battery. " 

"  Under  fire,  you  mean  ?  " 

"  Guess  so.  A  big  shell  burst  right  in  front  of 
me,  inside  the  battery ;  in  the  middle  of  us  all.  Didn't 
kill  anybody,  though.  Then  an  officer  made  me  get. 
But  I've  joined  the  army." 

"You  have?    How?    Already?" 

"  You  bet.     I'm  in  the  Fourth  Regiment" 

"  What  do  you  do  there  ?  A  drummer  ?  Who's 
teaching  you  ?  Old  Brown  ?  " 

"  No,  I'm  not  a  drummer.  I'm  with  the  officers. 
I'm  attached  to  Lieutenant  Grant." 

«  AW !  "  and  Hannibal  stared  "  What  you 

mean  now  ?  How  '  attached  ?  ' ' 

"  That's  what  he  said.  I  take  care  of  his  tent 
and  I  go  along  with  him  and  the  Fourth  Regiment." 

"  You  do  ?  That's  not  soldiering ;  that's  only  be- 
ing a  follower.  But  what  did  you  join  the  Fourth 
for  ?  Maybe  I  could  have  got  you  into  the  Eighth. 
You  ought  to  be  a  drummer.  A  drummer  gets  nine 
dollars  a  month  and  he's  some  pumpkins,  too.  He's 
no  private.  He  wears  a  sword  like  an  officer,  and 
has  his  own  drill.  I  could  have  taught  you  the  taps 
and  flams  and  drags  and  rolls.  They're  easy.  Then 
maybe  you'd  be  a  drum  major  some  day.  That's 
what  I  intend  to  be." 

"  Well,  I  can  learn  to  be  an  officer.  Lieutenant 
Grant  will  teach  me,"  Jerry  answered. 

"You've  got  to  be  a  soldier  first,  before  you 
104 


SECOND  LIEUTENANT  GRANT 

learn  to  be  an  officer.  You  ought  to  enlist  or  go  to 
school.  Nearly  all  the  company  officers  in  the  Regu- 
lars went  to  school  at  West  Point.  The  old  fellows 
were  appointed  or  rose  from  the  ranks,  but  most  of 
them  fought  in  the  War  of  1812  or  in  Florida.  Some 
of  the  fresh  civilians  are  jolly  green  when  they  join. 
My  eye !  I  know  more  than  they  do.  But  anyhow," 
Hannibal  continued,  as  if  not  to  be  disagreeable, 
"  the  Fourth  is  a  good  regiment,  next  to  the  Eighth. 
You'll  learn,  I  guess.  I  know  Lieutenant  Grant.  I 
know  all  the  officers.  He's  got  a  funny  name.  Ever 
hear  it?  Ulysses!  That's  it.  He's  not  very  big, 
but  you  ought  to  see  him  stick  on  a  horse.  Come 
along.  Let's  go  up  on  top  of  one  of  the  hills  and 
watch  the  shells." 

Then,  as  they  trudged : 

"  Here  come  the  sailors  from  the  battery.  Jim- 
iny,  but  they're  black!  It's  no  sport,  serving  those 
big  guns.  I'd  rather  be  in  the  artillery  than  in  the 
infantry,  though,  if  I  wasn't  a  drummer." 

The  tars  from  the  naval  battery  trooped  wearily 
by,  for  the  beach  and  their  ships.  Black  they  were, 
with  powder,  and  coated  with  sand,  so  that  their 
eyes  peered  out  whitely. 

"  Did  you  give  'em  Davy  Jones,  Jack?  "  Hannibal 
called  smartly. 

They  grinned  and  growled ;  and  one  of  them  an- 
swered back : 

"  Aye,  aye,  young  hearty.  Blowed  their  bloomin' 
bul'arks  all  to  smash,  that's  wot.  Hooray  for 
the  navy ! " 

"  Hooray !  "  Hannibal  and  Jerry  cheered. 

The  sand  hills  were  being  occupied  by  officers  and 
105 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

men,  gathered  to  watch  the  show.  The  best  point 
seemed  to  be  awarded  to  a  special  little  group — 

"  Say !  We'll  have  to  take  another,"  Hannibal 
exclaimed.  "  There's  General  Scott,  again — and  his 
engineers,  too.  We'll  get  as  close  as  we  can.  Wait. 
They're  coming  down.  You  mind  your  eye  and  I'll 
show  you  a  fine  officer."  The  group,  with  the  com- 
manding figure  of  General  Scott  to  the  fore,  gazing 
through  glasses,  seemed  about  to  leave.  "  You  see 
that  officer  who's  just  turned  our  way?  Talking 
to  another  officer?  He's  Captain  Robert  E.  Lee,  of 
the  engineers,  on  Scott's  staff.  He  laid  out  these 
trenches  and  batteries — he's  the  smartest  engineer  in 
the  army.  The  officer  he's  talking  to  is  Lieutenant 
George  B.  McClellan,  graduated  from  West  Point 
only  last  summer.  I  know  him — I  knew  him  when 
we  all  were  under  Old  Zach,  in  the  north  of  Mexico, 
before  we  came  here  with  Fuss  and  Feathers.  He's 
smart,  too,  but  he  gets  funny  sometimes.  Captain 
Lee  is  the  smartest  of  all." 

Upon  leaving  their  hill  the  group  passed  nearer. 
Jerry  might  see  that  Captain  Lee  was  a  slender, 
dark-eyed,  handsome  young  officer ;  Lieutenant  Mc- 
Clellan was  not  so  good-looking — had  a  long  nose 
and  a  pinched  face,  and  a  careless,  happy-go-lucky 
manner ;  was  slight  of  build.  General  Scott  towered 
over  them  all.  What  a  giant  of  a  man  he  was — 
and  with  what  a  voice  when  he  spoke  in  meas- 
ured sentences! 

They  mounted  horses  held  by  orderlies,  and  can- 
tered away,  probably  for  headquarters  where  General 
Scott's  large  tent  stood,  back  of  the  First  Divi- 
sion camp. 

19$ 


SECOND  LIEUTENANT  GRANT 

Jerry  and  Hannibal  climbed  to  the  crest  of  the 
sand  hill.  The  evening  had  fallen;  the  west  was 
pink,  and  the  tops  of  the  sand  hills  and  the  towers 
of  the  city  glowed,  but  the  dusk  was  gathering  on  the 
plain  and  over  the  gulf.  Down  in  the  plain  the 
mortars  were  firing  slowly,  as  before,  one  after 
another,  as  if  timed  by  a  clock;  and  the  city  and 
the  castle  were  replying  in  same  fashion.  As  the 
dusk  deepened  the  bombs  could  be  seen.  They  rose 
high,  sailed  on,  leaving  a  streak  of  red  from  their 
burning  fuses,  and  dropped  swiftly — and  all  the  city 
was  lighted  luridly  by  the  burst  of  flame. 

The  Mexican  shells  crossed  their  tracks  with 
other  streaks  of  red;  and  they,  also,  burst  with  great 
lurid  explosions,  illuminating  the  sand  hills  and  the 
dark  lines  of  trenches  below.  Sometimes  there  were 
four  and  five  bombs  in  the  air  at  the  same  time,  going 
and  coming. 

It  was  a  grand  sight,  from  the  outside.  Jerry  was 
glad  that  he  was  not  in  Vera  Cruz ;  and  he  was  glad 
that  he  was  not  one  of  the  soldiers  in  those  little 
detachments  that  now  and  again  hustled  silently 
through  the  hills,  to  enter  the  trenches,  and  do  out- 
post duty  and  repair  the  works,  under  fire. 

"  Guess  to-morrow  the  army  heavies  will  be  help- 
ing the  navy  thirty-twos  and  sixty-eights,"  Hannibal 
remarked.  "  Then  we'll  have  the  walls  breached, 
and  we'll  all  go  in  and  capture  the  whole  shebang. 
General  Scott  won't  sit  around  here,  waiting.  He'll 
storm  the  walls  and  have  the  business  over  with  be- 
fore the  yellow  fever  starts  up.  We've  got  to  get 
away  from  this  low  country." 
107 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

"  What  are  we  fighting  about,  anyway,  Han- 
nibal ?" 

"  Fighting  about,  boy !  To  whip  Mexico,  of 
course.  Got  to  fetch  her  to  time,  haven't  we?  '  Con- 
quer a  peace  ' — that's  what  General  Scott  says.  The 
Republic  of  Texas  has  come  into  the  United  States, 
and  as  long  as  Mexico  says  she  sha'n't,  and  keeps 
pestering  Americans  and  won't  pay  for  damages,  the 
only  way  to  get  a  peace  is  to  conquer  it.  Besides, 
Mexico  fired  first,  at  the  Rio  Grande — killed  some  of 
the  dragoons  and  captured  Lieutenant  Thornton  and 
a  lot  more.  Guess  we  had  to  fight,  after  that, 
didn't  we?" 

"  Mexico  says  we  invaded  her." 

"  Aw,  shucks !  "  Hannibal  scoffed.  "  So  do  some 
of  the  home  papers.  That's  politics.  When  once  the 
army  gets  to  shooting  then  talk  isn't  much  use  till 
one  side  or  the  other  is  licked.  They  all  ought  to 
have  arranged  matters  before  the  fighting  started." 

Until  long  after  dark  they  two  crouched  here, 
together  with  other  soldiers,  watching  the  bombs. 
The  night  was  clear  and  still,  except  for  the  smoke 
and  the  guns.  And  when  the  castle  spoke  with  a 
thirteen-incher,  and  that  landed,  then — Boom! 

"  Well,  I've  got  to  go  for  tattoo,"  said  Hannibal, 
with  a  yawn.  "  You'd  better  skip,  too,  or  you  won't 
be  let  in  if  you  don't  have  the  countersign.  After 
tattoo  everybody's  supposed  to  be  bunked  for 
the  night." 

"  Maybe  I'll  see  you  to-morrow." 

"  See  you  in  Vera  Cruz,  boy,"  Hannibal  prom- 
ised. "  Bet  you  the  Eighth  will  beat  the  Fourth, 
if  we  storm.  Sorry  you  aren't  one  of  us,  in  the 
1 08 


SECOND  LIEUTENANT  GRANT 

Eighth.    That's  General  Worth's  regiment.    He  was 
our  colonel  before  I  joined/' 

"  I'll  stay  with  the  Fourth,"  Jerry  retorted.  "  I'll 
go  sharpen  Lieutenant  Grant's  sword." 

Hannibal  laughed. 

"  Those  toad-stickers  aren't  meant  to  be  sharp. 
They're  just  for  looks.  But  I  keep  mine  sharp,  all 
right.  To-morrow  I'll  capture  a  Mexican  with  it" 

Jerry  found  the  tent.  Everything  here  was 
quiet,  except  Pompey,  and  he  was  snoring.  So  Jerry 
snuggled  down  upon  Lieutenant  Grant's  cot,  under  a 
blanket,  intending  to  stay  awake  to  make  certain  that 
it  was  all  right ;  but  while  listening  to  Pompey,  and  to 
the  steady  cannonade,  dulled  by  distance,  he  drowsed 
off — dreamed  of  charging  and  throwing  shells  while 
he  ran,  with  Hannibal  beating  a  drum  and  the  Mexi- 
can army  lying  flat  and  shooting  bullets  that  burst 
like  little  bombs. 

In  the  morning  he  was  aroused  by  drums  and 
fifes.  He  was  still  in  the  cot.  Pompey  was 
about  to  shake  him,  and  a  tall  officer  in  undress 
was  laughing. 

"  Hi,  you  white  boy!  Wha'  fo'  you  sleepin'  in 
an  offercer's  bed?"  Pompey  accused.  "Hain't 
you  manners?  Heah  dat  reveille — an'  me  cookin' 
all  the  breakf  us !  Turn  out.  When  Lieutenant  Grant 
come,  what  he  gwine  to  do  fo'  a  place  to  sleep?  " 

"  You're  Grant's  boy,  are  you?  "  the  tall  officer 
asked.  "  I'm  Lieutenant  Smith.  And  in  absence 
of  your  superior  officer  I  politely  request  that  you 
help  Pompey  with  the  breakfast.  Lieutenant  Grant 
will  be  here  at  any  moment.  He'll  appreciate  a 
warm  bed,  but  he'll  want  it  for  himself." 
109 


VII 

HURRAH  FOR  THE  RED,  WHITE  AND  BLUE ! 

"  A  TRUCE!  A  truce!  They've  surrendered!  " 

It  was  afternoon  again.  All  this  morning  the 
cannon  of  both  sides  had  been  hammering  away ;  but 
the  new  army  battery,  Number  4,  of  four  twenty- 
four-pounders  and  two  sixty-eight-pounder  shell 
guns  or  Paixhans,  had  joined  with  the  naval  battery. 
The  fire  seemed  to  be  battering  the  walls  to  pieces. 
The  men  from  the  trenches,  and  the  officers  who 
watched  through  their  spy-glasses,  declared  that  the 
shells  and  solid  shot  were  dismounting  the  Mexican 
guns  and  tumbling  the  casemates  and  parapets  upon 
the  heads  of  the  gunners.  The  mortars  were  still 
blowing  up  the  buildings  and  the  streets.  The  Mexi- 
can fire  was  growing  weaker. 

Lieutenant  Grant  had  come  back  just  after  re- 
veille, from  all-night  work  in  the  quartermaster 
department,  overseeing  the  landing  of  stuff  on  the 
beach  from  the  transports  in  the  offing.  He  had 
gone  to  bed  and  had  slept  until  noon. 

"  Do  you  think  we'll  charge  on  Vera  Cruz  to- 
day?" Jerry  asked  at  his  first  opportunity;  for 
Pompey  had  been  prophesying,  and  the  waiting  in- 
fantry appeared  to  be  a  little  nervous,  and  the  old 
sergeants  would  say  neither  yes  nor  no. 

"  That's  not  for  me  to  answer,"  Lieutenant  Grant 
replied.  "  We'll  obey  orders." 

"  Vera  Cruz  has  got  to  surrender,  though,  hasn't 


HURRAH  FOR  THE  RED,  WHITE  AND  BLUE 

it?  And  if  Old  Fuss  and  Feathers  says  to  charge, 
we'll  charge." 

"  Look  here,"  the  lieutenant  rapped,  severely. 
"  Don't  let  me  catch  you  using  that  nickname  again. 
You're  speaking  disrespectfully  of  the  commanding 
officer.  He's  Major-General  Scott.  Remember 
that:  Major-General  Winfield  Scott,  chief  of  the 
United  States  army,  and  commanding  this  Army 
of  Invasion.  Where  did  you  get  that  name?  " 

"  The  men  call  him  that ;  even  the  drummer  boys 
do,"  Jerry  apologized.  "  So  I  thought  I  might." 

"  Well,  the  men  don't  do  it  out  of  disrespect. 
They  know  him.  All  the  old  soldiers  are  proud  to 
serve  under  General  Scott.  The  drummer  boys  are 
young  rascals,  without  respect  for  anybody.  So 
don't  pattern  on  them." 

"  Is  General  Scott  as  good  a  general  as  Old 
Zach — General  Taylor,  I  mean?  " 

"  I'm  not  supposed  to  express  an  opinion.  A 
second  lieutenant  has  no  opinions  to  express  about 
his  superior  officers.  I  served  under  General  Taylor 
in  Texas  and  northeastern  Mexico.  General  Taylor 
won  all  his  battles ;  that's  the  test  of  a  general.  He's 
an  old  hand  at  fighting.  So  is  General  Scott.  They 
were  appointed  to  the  army  at  the  same  time,  1808. 
As  far  as  I  may  judge,  their  methods  are  different 
but  equally  effective.  General  Taylor  I  was  privi- 
leged to  see  in  action.  He  is  experienced  in  emer- 
gency fighting,  learned  from  his  campaigns  against 
the  Indians  in  the  War  of  1812  and  in  the  Florida 
War.  He  apparently  does  not  plan  far  ahead,  but 
meets  the  emergencies  as  they  come  up,  on  the  field, 
and  handles  his  forces  in  person.  General  Scott, 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

who  attained  high  reputation  for  bravery  and  skill 
against  British  regular  troops  in  the  War  of  1812 
and  is  a  hard  student  of  war — in  fact,  has  compiled 
the  system  of  tactics  in  use  by  the  United  States 
army — relies  more,  I  understand,  upon  having  his 
orders  carried  out  as  issued  in  advance  and  covering 
the  whole  field.  He  is  regarded  as-  a  master  of  tac- 
tics, which,  you  know,  means  the  moving  of  troops 
upon  the  field,  in  the  presence  of  the  enemy.  Strategy 
is  the  science  of  moving  troops  to  advantage  before 
contact  with  the  enemy;  the  getting  ready  to  fight. 
Tactics  may  be  learned  in  books,  but  strategy  is 
largely  a  gift.  General  Taylor  is  named  by  the 
soldiers  who  admire  him  '  Old  Rough  and  Ready/ 
and  that  well  describes  him.  He  is  a  straightfor- 
ward fighter,  and  opposed  to  all  display;  he  places 
dependence  upon  the  natural  courage  of  his  men, 
rather  than  upon  drill.  His  tactics  are*  successful. 
The  tactics  of  General  Scott  have  brought  the  army 
to  a  fine  state  of  discipline.  The  American  regular 
army  is  the  best  in  the  world,  and  the  Volunteers 
will  soon  be  not  far  behind.  As  I  have  not  served 
long  under  General  Scott,  of  course  I  cannot  say 
much  about  his  strategy  when  in  command  of  a  large 
body  of  troops.  One  thing  is  sure :  he  has  the  ablest 
engineers  yet  produced,  to  help  him  carry  out  his 
plans,  and  a  splendidly  trained  army,  both  officers 
and  rank  and  file,  to  perform  his  plans ;  and  officers 
and  men  are  confident  that  his  plans  will  be  thor- 
oughly sound." 

With  this  military  lecture,  Lieutenant  Grant 
strode  away. 

Pompey  chuckled. 


HURRAH  FOR  THE  RED,  WHITE  AND  BLUE 

"  Hi  yi !  Nebber  did  heah  Lieutenant  Grant  talk 
so  much  at  onct.  Didn't  say  nuffin'  much,  neither." 

At  noon  the  fire  from  the  city  had  ceased  There 
were  rumors  that  the  Mexican  general  wished  to  sur- 
render. About  two  o'clock  the  American  batteries 
ceased,  also.  Cheers  spread  from  the  advance 
trenches  back  to  the  camps.  A  white  flag  had  been 
borne  from  the  city  to  General  Scott's  headquarters. 

"  A  truce !   A  truce !  They've  surrendered !  " 

Out  on  the  front  the  soldiers  could  be  seen 
scrambling  from  the  trenches  and  cheering ;  and  the 
officers  of  the  batteries  stood  upon  the  sandbags  to 
examine  the  walls  at  leisure  with  their  glasses. 

The  truce,  however,  did  not  last  long.  The 
Mexican  flag  went  back.  The  general  officers,  who 
had  been  called  into  council  with  General  Scott,  re- 
turned to  their  divisions ;  and  one  of  them — a  burly 
short-necked,  red-faced,  lion-looking  man  who  was 
General  David  Twiggs  of  the  Second  Division  of 
Regulars,  said,  in  plain  hearing  as  he  rode : 

"  Humph !  My  boys  will  have  to  take  that  place 
with  the  bayonet  yet." 

The  mortar  batteries  opened  again.  It  was  re- 
ported that  General  Scott  and  Commodore  Perry 
(Commodore  Conner  had  gone  home)  of  the  navy 
had  agreed  upon  an  assault  of  the  city  to-morrow, 
March  26,  by  soldiers  and  sailors  both. 

The  mortars  fired  all  night,  in  slow  fashion,  as  if 
for  reminder.  The  city  forts  and  the  castle  answered 
scarcely  at  all.  Evidently  the  time  for  the  assault 
was  ripe.  About  midnight  another  norther  came; 
the  worst  norther  to  date.  In  the  morning  half  the 
tents  were  flat,  everything  and  everybody  were  cov- 
8  113 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

ered  with  sand,  and  the  trenches  and  the  city  could  not 
be  seen  through  the  sand  cloud. 

"  We  gwine  to  attack,  jest  the  same/'  Pompey 
proclaimed.  "  We  cain't  see  the  enemy;  enemy  can't 
see  us.  Fust  t'ing  dey  know,  dar  we'll  be.  Wind 
cain't  stop  bagonets.  No,  suh!  Oof!  Don't  be- 
lieve I  laike  dis  country,  nohow.  If  Gin'ral  Scott 
don't  take  us  away,  I'se  gwine  back  to  Virginny. 
Yaller  feber's  done  arriv.  Dey's  got  it  yonduh 
in  Very  Cruz,  already.  Mebbe  we  don't  want  dat 
Very  Cruz.  I  ain't  pinin'  to  stay  'round  hyar.  Nig- 
ger don't  stand  no  show  'gin  yaller  feber.  Dey  say 
dar's  a  big  passel  ob  Mexican  sojers  collectin'  in 
back  country  to  capture  us  when  yaller  feber  an* 
dese  no'thers  gets  done  with  us.  So  if  Gin'ral  Scott 
don't  quit  foolin*  an*  mahch  away,  I'se  gwine 
by  myself." 

Soon  after  breakfast,  or  about  eight  o'clock,  the 
firing  stopped  once  more;  another  white  flag  had 
been  taken  in  to  General  Scott.  This  time  it  proved 
to  be  in  earnest,  for  the  batteries  did  not  reopen 
during  the  day,  nor  during  the  night. 

The  surrender  was  set  for  the  morning  of  the 
twenty-ninth,  at  ten  o'clock  sharp. 

Jerry  looked  up  Hannibal,  and  learned  more  news 
from  him  than  he  could  get  by  listening  to  Lieutenant 
Grant  and  Lieutenant  Smith  talk,  or  to  Pom- 
pey chatter. 

"  We  bagged  'em  both,"  Hannibal  asserted. 
"  City  and  castle,  too.  General  Scott  didn't  start 
in  to  say  anything  about  the  castle.  All  he  wanted 
was  the  city,  and  then  the  castle  would  have  to  sur- 
render or  starve.  But  the  Mexican  general  offered 
114 


HURRAH  FOR  THE  RED,  WHITE  AND  BLUE 

the  two,  and  so  of  course  we  took  'em.  General 
Worth,  of  our  division,  and  Pillow,  of  the  Tennessee 
Volunteers  in  the  Third  Division,  and  Colonel  Totten, 
chief  of  engineers,  did  the  talking.  The  surrender's 
to  be  made  at  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning,  day  after 
to-morrow  Who  did  you  say  the  Mexican  gen- 
eral was?  " 

"  General  Morales." 

"  Well,  he  isn't.  He  escaped  and  left  another 
general,  Landero,  to  foot  the  bill.  But  you'll  see  a 
great  sight  when  all  those  Mexicans  march  out  and 
pile  up  their  guns.  We  took  that  city  easy,  too. 
Had  only  two  officers  and  nine  men  killed  in  the 
army  and  one  officer  and  four  men  killed  in  the  navy, 
and  less  than  sixty  wounded.  That's  pretty  good 
for  twenty  days'  skirmishing  and  investing." 

"  The  Mexicans  have  lost  a  thousand,  I  guess/' 
proffered  Jerry. 

"They  ought  to  have  surrendered  sooner.  The 
longer  they  held  out  the  worse  they  got  it.  We  were 
going  to  storm  the  walls  this  very  day.  The  navy 
was  to  carry  the  water  front  and  the  army  the  sides ; 
and  there' d  have  been  bullets  and  shells  and  solid 
shot  and  bayonet  work,  all  mixed." 

The  morning  for  the  surrender  dawned  clear  and 
calm.  The  orders  had  called  for  every  officer  and 
man  to  clean  up  and  wear  his  best  uniform.  So  there 
were  preparations  as  if  for  parade. 

"  Sech  a  polishin'  an'  scourin'  an*  slickenin'  I 
nebber  did  see,"  Pompey  complained,  as  he  and  Jerry 
worked  on  the  belts  and  swords  and  uniforms  of  their 
lieutenants.  Through  all  the  regiment  and  division 
the  soldiers  were  scouring  their  muskets  and  polish- 
es 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

ing  their  buttons  and  whitening  their  cross-belts  and 
shining  their  tall  leather  dress-hats. 

The  drums  beat  the  assembly,  which  was  the 
signal  for  the  companies  to  fall  in.  The  troops,  under 
the  stars  and  stripes  and  their  regimental  colors, 
were  marched  to  a  green  meadow  south  of  the  city 
walls.  The  sailors  had  come  ashore.  They  wore 
their  white  flapping  trousers,  and  short  blue  jackets, 
and  white  flannel  shirts  with  broad  blue  collars,  hav- 
ing a  star  in  the  corners.  They,  and  the  Regulars, 
were  spick  and  span,  because  they  had  been  trained 
to  take  care  of  themselves  and  their  things.  The 
Volunteers  were  not  so  neat,  but  that  was  the  fault  of 
their  officers. 

The  sailors  and  the  Regulars  were  drawn  up  in 
one  long  line,  extending  nearly  a  mile ;  the  Volunteers 
were  drawn  up  in  another  long  line,  facing  them. 
The  dragoons  were  at  the  head  of  the  double  line,  and 
so  were  two  mounted  companies  of  Riflemen,  and 
the  Tennessee  Horse.  By  this  time  a  great  stream 
of  Mexican  men  and  women  and  children  and  loaded 
burros  were  filing  out  of  the  city  gate,  taking  their 
goods  with  them.  General  Scott  had  promised  not 
to  interfere  with  the  citizens,  but  nevertheless  the 
people  were  afraid. 

Jerry  himself,  hastening  with  Pompey  and  a 
throng  of  the  camp  followers,  had  his  first  chance 
to  see  the  whole  army. 

The  generals  all  were  here,  with  their  staffs :  Gen- 
eral Scott,  of  course,  the  most  imposing  of  any,  by 
reason  of  his  great  size  and  his  full  uniform;  the 
swarthy,  flashing-eyed  General  Worth,  very  hand- 
some on  a  prancing  horse — he  had  been  appointed  to 
116 


HURRAH  FOR  THE  RED,  WHITE  AND  BLUE 

receive  the  surrender,  which  was  an  honor  to  the 
First  Division;  the  white-haired,  lion-like  General 
Twiggs  (Old  Davy),  of  the  Second  Division  of 
Regulars — his  whiskers  on  his  cheeks  were  growing 
again,  which,  with  his  short  neck  and  stout  shoulders, 
made  him  look  more  like  a  lion  than  ever;  General 
Robert  Patterson  of  the  Volunteer  Third  Division — 
an  old  soldier  of  Pennsylvania,  who  had  a  rugged 
face  and  high  forehead  and  was  known  as  a  fighting 
Irishman;  and  Colonel  William  S.  Harney  of  the 
Dragoons — another  giant  of  a  man,  almost  as  large 
as  General  Scott,  with  sunburned  face  and  blue  eyes, 
and  a  quick,  bluff  manner,  which  just  fitted  a 
bold  dragoon. 

Then  there  were  the  brigade  commanders: 
Colonel  John  Garland  and  Colonel  Newman  S. 
Clarke  of  the  First  Division;  Colonel  Bennet  Riley 
(who  had  risen  from  the  ranks)  and  General  Persi- 
for  Smith  (the  colonel  of  the  Mounted  Rifles),  of 
the  Second  Division;  General  Gideon  Pillow  the 
Tennessean  (a  slightly  built  man  and  the  youngest 
of  all  the  brigadiers),  General  John  A.  Quitman  the 
Mississippian  (a  slender  man  with  elegant  side- 
whiskers),  and  General  James  Shields  from  Illinois 
(a  black-moustached  Irishman),  of  the  Volunteers. 

But  the  Regular  cavalry  took  the  eye:  The  one 
company  of  the  First  Dragoons,  under  young  Captain 
Phil  Kearny,  the  six  companies  of  the  Second 
Dragoons,  and  the  nine  companies  of  the  Riflemen 
under  Major  Edwin  V.  Sumner  of  the  Second  Dra- 
goons, while  their  own  colonel,  Persifor  Smith,  was 
serving  as  brigadkr.  Only  two  companies  of  the 
Riflemen  were  really  Mounted  Riflemen;  the  regi- 
117 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

ment  had  lost  most  of  its  horses  in  a  storm  on  the 
way,  and  not  all  the  dragoons  were  mounted,  either, 
for  the  same  reason. 

The  uniform  of  the  dragoons  was  short  dark-blue 
jackets  piped  with  yellow,  and  light  blue  trousers  with 
yellow  stripes  down  the  seams,  and  buff  saddle  rein- 
forcements on  the  inside  legs;  cavalry  boots,  and 
dress  helmets  floating  a  white  horsehair  plume.  The 
Riflemen  (who  carried  rifles  instead  of  muskatoons) 
had  green  trimmings.  It  was  said  to  be  a  dashing 
regiment,  equal  to  the  dragoons. 

Suddenly,  at  ten  o'clock  precisely,  in  the  city 
and  at  the  castle  of  San  Ulloa,  down  fluttered  the 
Mexican  red,  white  and  green  tricolor  flags,  while 
the  Mexican  cannon  fired  a  salute  to  them ;  the  red, 
white  and  blue  rose  in  their  place,  and  the  salute  by 
the  army  and  navy  guns  was  almost  drowned  by 
the  great  cheer  from  Jerry  and  all  the  rest  of  the  non- 
combatants.  The  two  ranks  of  soldiers  and  sailors 
did  not  dare  to  cheer  without  orders,  but  they  swelled 
with  pride. 

And  here  came  the  Mexican  army,  in  a  long  col- 
umn, out  of  the  southern  gate,  with  a  lot  more  women 
and  children  (the  soldiers'  families)  trudging  beside, 
carrying  bundles. 

There  were  five  thousand — infantry,  artillery 
and  cavalry — led  by  their  bands.  Their  uniforms 
were  dazzling :  green  and  red,  light  blue  and  white, 
blue  and  red,  whitish  and  red,  red  and  yellow — many 
combinations,  the  officers  being  fairly  covered  with 
gilt  and  bright  braid. 

"  Shuah,  dey's  most  all  gin'rals  an'  drum- 
majors/'  Pompey  exclaimed,  admiring. 

Hi 


HURRAH  FOR  THE  RED,  WHITE  AND  BLUE 

In  comparison,  the  United  States  uniforms  of 
plain  navy  blue  and  sky  blue,  with  a  little  white  and 
a  little  red  and  aJittle  yellow  and  green,  looked  very 
business  like — even  the  gold  epaulets  of  the  officers' 
dress  coats. 

General  Worth  and  General  Lander o  severely 
saluted  one  another.  General  Landero  drew  aside 
with  his  staff.  The  whole  Mexican  army  marched 
down  between  the  two  lines,  and  out  beyond  the  end 
they  were  shown  where  to  stack  their  muskets  and 
deposit  their  belts  and  other  equipment  and  the  flags. 
A  regiment  of  lancers,  in  green,  with  tall  red  caps 
and  yellow  cloaks,  brought  up  the  rear,  on  foot,  to 
pile  their  lances. 

Some  of  the  Mexican  soldiers  looked  sad;  some 
looked  rather  glad  to  have  the  matter  ended.  They 
all  were  pledged  by  their  officers  not  to  take  part  in 
the  war  again,  unless  exchanged  for  American  pris- 
oners. Meanwhile  they  were  permitted  to  go  home. 

"  Reckon  dey  mought  as  well  plow  deir  cohn," 
Pompey  chuckled.  "  'Case  why?  'Case  dar  won't 
be  anybody  to  exchange  'em  fo'." 


VIII 

INSPECTING  THE  WILD  MOHAWKS 

AFTER  the  surrender  the  army  camp  was  moved 
out  of  the  sand  hills  and  to  the  beach.  That  was 
a  great  relief — to  be  away  from  the  swamps  and 
thickets  and  dust  and  the  thousands  of  small  flies 
and  millions  of  fleas.  Some  of  the  clever  officers 
had  been  greasing  themselves  all  over  with  pork 
rind  and  sleeping  in  canvas  bags  drawn  tightly 
around  their  necks;  but  even  this  did  not  work. 

General  Worth  was  appointed  military  governor 
of  Vera  Cruz ;  another  honor  for  the  First  Division. 
General  Quitman's  brigade  of  Mohawks  was  put  in 
as  garrison. 

The  men  were  granted  leave,  in  squads,  to  go 
into  Vera  Cruz.  And  Vera  Cruz  was  a  sad  sight, 
as  Jerry  found  out  when  he  and  Hannibal  strolled 
through.  The  bombs  from  the  mortars  had  crashed 
through  the  tiled  roofs  of  the  buildings,  burst  the 
walls  apart,  and  had  made  large  holes  in  the  paved 
streets.  It  was  dangerous  to  walk  because  of  the 
loosened  cornices  of  the  roofs.  The  beautiful  cathe- 
dral had  been  struck ;  it  now  was  a  hospital,  contain- 
ing hundreds  of  wounded  soldiers  and  civilians. 

But  the  most  interesting  thing  to  "  military  men  " 
was  the  wall  on  the  side  of  the  city  toward  the  naval 
battery.  The  sixty-eights  and  thirty-twos  had  hewed 
two  openings — had  simply  pulverized  the  coral  rock 
laid  twelve  feet  thick ;  and  a  wagon  and  team  might 
be  driven  through  either  gap.  The  bastions,  also, 

130 


INSPECTING  THE  WILD  MOHAWKS 

and  the  outlying  batteries,  had  been  knocked 
to  smithereens. 

Yet  it  was  astonishing  how  quickly  American  rule 
was  bringing  order.  The  streets  were  being  rapidly 
cleaned  up  by  squads  of  soldiers  and  by  the  Mexicans 
who  were  hired.  Shops  were  doing  a  big  business — 
the  soldiers,  especially  the  Volunteers,  were  gorging 
themselves  with  fruits  and  vegetables  and  cakes.  The 
harbor  was  again  crowded  with  masts,  of  American 
transports  and  merchantmen  flying  many  flags.  The 
sea-wall  was  a  regular  market,  piled  with  bales  and 
boxes  and  crates  for  the  army,  and  thronged  with 
people  white,  yellow  and  black,  who  set  up  stalls, 
or  crowded  around  the  huge  naval  guns  hauled  there 
to  be  placed  back  upon  the  ships  of  Commodore 
Perry's  squadron.  A  new  wharf  was  being  built, 
extending  out  clear  to  the  coaling  depot  that  had 
been  erected  upon  the  reef  near  the  castle,  at  the 
entrance  to  the  harbor. 

Assuredly  old  Vera  Cruz  was  being  American- 
ized. But  although  everything  was  under  strict 
martial  law,  and  one  negro  camp  follower  who  had 
frightened  a  Mexican  woman  had  been  promptly  tried 
and  hanged,  Jerry  never  caught  a  glimpse  of  the 
two  Manuels  among  all  the  Mexicans  who  stayed 
in  safety. 

He  was  not  now  afraid  of  the  two  Manuels.  They 
had  cuffed  him  and  had  sneered  at  the  "  gringos  " — 
but  here  the  gringos  were,  unbeaten!  And  Vera 
Cruz  belonged  to  the  Mexicans  no  longer. 

In  a  short  time  the  camp  was  moved  again,  to  the 
plain  between  the  city  and  the  sand  hills.  The  men 
had  been  rested ;  they  were  set  at  work  drilling.  As 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

soon  as  horses  and  mules  and  wagons  arrived  from 
the  United  States,  the  march  for  the  City  of  Mexico 
would  be  begun. 

"  Let's  go  over  to  the  Volunteer  camp  and  watch 
the  foot  Mustangs  drill,"  Hannibal  proposed,  one 
afternoon.  "  That's  great  fun." 

So  they  went  to  the  Third  Division  camp.  A 
number  of  companies  were  being  put  through  their 
drill,  according  to  the  tactics  of  General  Scott.  The 
Kentuckians  (a  regiment  newly  arrived)  were  exer- 
cising in  the  manual  of  arms. 

"Eyes—right!" 

"Eyes—left!" 

"Front!" 

"Shoulder— arms!"1 

"  Secure — arms !  " 

"Shoulder— arms!" 

"Order— arms!" 

"Rest!" 

"  Attention — company !  " 

"  Shoulder — arms !  " 

"  Right  shoulder— shift !" 

"  Shoulder — arms !  " 

"  Charge — bayonets !  " 

"Shoulder— arms!" 

"  Load  in  twelve  times — load ! " 

Then— 

"Open— pan!" 

"Handle— cartridge!" 

"  Tear— cartridge!" 

*In  Scott's  Tactics  "shoulder  arms"  was  the  same  as 
"  carry  arms." 

122 


INSPECTING  THE  WILD  MOHAWKS 

Every  soldier  tore  the  end  of  the  paper  cartridge 
open  with  his  teeth. 

"Prime!" 

A  little  of  the  powder  was  emptied  into  the  pans 
of  the  guns. 

"Shut— pan!" 

"Cast— about!" 

At  that,  the  soldiers  dropped  their  guns  upright, 
and  prepared  to  pour  the  powder  in  from  the 
cartridge. 

"  Charge — cartridge !  " 

The  powder  was  dumped  into  the  muzzles,  and 
the  ball  and  cartridge  paper  for  a  wad,  were  forced 
in  after. 

"  Draw — rammer!  " 

"Ram— cartridge!" 

"  Return — rammer!" 

"  Shoulder — arms !  " 

Or  perhaps — 

"Ready!" 

"Aim!" 

And  while  one  held  one's  breath,  expecting  a 
volley — 

"  Recover — arms !  " 

This  left  them  at  a  "  ready,"  again. 

"  That  load  in  twelve  times  is  only  for  discipline," 
Hannibal  scoffed.  "  To  teach  'em  to  work  together. 
Load  in  four  times  is  the  Regulars'  way,  by  count — 
one,  two,  three,  four.  But  mostly  it's  '  Load  at  will — 
load ! '  I'd  hate  to  be  a  Volunteer.  They  can  fight, 
though.  Yes,  siree;  they  can  fight.  They're  not 
much  on  discipline,  and  they  yell  and  sing  and  strag- 
123 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

gle  while  marching;  but  when  they  see  the  enemy — 
my  eye ! " 

These  Volunteers  were  indeed  a  lively  and  good- 
natured  if  rather  rough  set.  When  drill  was  over 
they  raced  for  their  messes  and  proceeded  to  loll 
about  and  cook  and  eat  and  sing,  as  if  they  had  no 
thought  in  the  world  except  to  picnic.  The  rust  on 
their  guns  and  the  length  of  their  beards  never 
bothered  them  at  all. 

Here's  a  health  to  all  them  that  we  love, 

Here's  a  health  to  all  them  that  love  us, 

Here's  a  health  to  all  them  that  love  those  that  love  them 

That  love  those  that  love  them  that  love  us ! 

This  was  the  song  of  one  group,  who  were  drink- 
ing from  tin  cups. 

Molly  is  the  gal  for  me 

sang  another  group.    And — 

Upon  the  hill  he  turned, 

To  take  a  last  fond  look 
Of  the  valley  and  the  village  church, 

And  the  cottage  by  the  brook. 
He  listened  to  the  sounds, 

So  familiar  to  his  ear, 
And  the  soldier  leant  upon  his  sword 

And  wiped  away  a  tear. 

A  tall  bearded  Tennesseean  was  singing  that, 
while  his  companions  listened  soberly. 

But  a  chorus  welled  and  spread  until  all  the  groups 
were  joining  in. 

Green  grow  the  rushes,  O! 
Green  grow  the  rushes,   O! 

The  sweetest  hours  that  e'er  I  spend 
Are  spent  among  the  lasses,  O ! 
124 


'FEARED  LIKE  THEY  WERE  GOING  TO  AMBUSH   ME   AND   TAKE 
THIS  TURKEY" 


INSPECTING  THE  WILD  MOHAWKS 

"  They  sang  that  stuff  all  through  Texas  and 
North  Mexico,"  said  Hannibal  "  It's  the  Mohawk 
war  cry.  And  the  Mexicans  think  it's  a  sort  of 
national  song,  like  some  of  theirs.  You  ought  to  hear 
'em  try  to  sing  it  themselves.  '  Gringo,  gringo,'  they 
say,  instead  of  *  Green  grow,'  and  they  call  the  Ameri- 
cans '  gringos ' !  " 

"  That's  right ;  they  do,"  Jerry  agreed,  remem- 
bering the  two  Manuels  and  other  Vera  Cruzans. 
"  They  called  me  a  '  gringo J  whenever  they  were 
mean,  but  it  wasn't  Spanish  and  they  didn't  seem  to 
know  where  it  came  from.  '  Gringo ! '  Huh !  " 

Now  he  understood  at  last. 

"  Well,  I've  got  to  go  back  for  that  blamed  '  re- 
treat/ "  Hannibal  grumbled.  "  Thunder !  I  never 
did  see  the  use  in  all  this  parading  every  day." 
Which  was  an  odd  remark  for  a  Regular  and 
a  veteran. 

They  were  just  leaving  the  mess  fires  of  the 
Mohawks,  when  there  was  a  great  shout  of  laughter, 
and  out  of  the  brush  here  came  a  big  Illinoisan,  a  dead 
turkey  in  one  hand  and  his  long  musket  in  the  other, 
driving  before  him  two  ragged  Mexicans. 

"  What  you  got  there,  Bill?  " 

"  Part  the  Mexican  army,  boys.  'Peared  like 
they  were  going  to  ambush  me  and  take  this  turkey ; 
but  I  said  '  Nary,  Mary  Ann/  and  fetched  'em  along 
with  help  of  old  Sal."  And  he  flourished  his  gun. 

"  We  meant  no  harm,  good  Americanos,"  the 
Mexicans  whined.  "  We  are  only  poor  countrymen." 

"  Pass  your  turkey  over  to  us,"  the  soldiers  cried, 
to  Bill.    "  Tell  your  paisanos  to  git  and  come  back 
with  the  rest  of  their  army." 
125 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

"  I  know  them !  "  Jerry  exclaimed.  "  They  aren't 
in  the  army.  They're  brush  cutters."  He  ran  aside, 
"  Hello,  Manuel." 

The  two  Manuels  had  been  cringing  and  smiling 
and  repeating:  "  Good  Americanos!  Valient  sol- 
diers !  Do  not  harm  us,  and  God  will  reward  you." 
They  saw  Jerry,  and  recognized  him.  "  Gringo 
puppy,"  they  hissed.  "  Where  have  you  been?  " 

"  Yes,  I'm  a  gringo,"  Jerry  answered.  "  And 
I'm  in  the  army  of  the  Americans.  You  said  they 
couldn't  take  Vera  Cruz.  What  do  you  say  now?  " 

"  They  took  Vera  Cruz  by  standing  off  and  kill- 
ing all  the  people,"  old  Manuel  snarled,  in  Spanish. 
"But  wait,  till  they  try  to  march  on.  Our  Santa 
Anna  and  fifty  thousand  brave  men  are  coming  to 
meet  them.  Hear  that,  gringito  ?  You'll  wish  you'd 
stayed  in  the  brush  with  old  Manuel." 

Jerry  laughed.  He  told  Hannibal  what  had  been 
said,  and  Hannibal  laughed.  As  they  went  on  they 
looked  back.  The  two  Manuels  were  scuttling  out  of 
the  camp,  unharmed,  for  the  soldiers  were  more 
interested  in  the  turkey. 

Teams  and  cavalry  mounts,  and  wagons  and  sup- 
plies were  very  slow  in  arriving,  so  that  the  army 
stayed  in  camp  at  Vera  Cruz  for  over  a  week  with- 
out a  move.  The  yellow  fever  increased — only 
the  fresh  lively  air  blown  in  by  the  northers  had  held 
it  down ;  and  as  soon  as  the  northers  ceased  then 
the  vomito  would  rage  as  usual.  A  large  number  of 
the  men,  especially  the  Volunteers,  were  ill  with  dis- 
ease caused  by  drinking  bad  water  and  by  over-eating. 

General  Scott  reorganized  the  army  for  the  march 
inland.  The  general  orders  changed  the  assignment 

126 


INSPECTING  THE  WILD  MOHAWKS 

of  the  regiments  very  little,  and  left  them  as  follows : 

First  Regular  Division,  Brevet  Major-General 
William  J.  Worth  commanding:  Light  Battery  A, 
Second  Artillery ;  Second  Artillery,  eight  companies, 
as  infantry;  Third  Artillery,  four  companies,  as  in- 
fantry ;  Fourth  Infantry,  six  companies ;  Fifth  Infan- 
try, six  companies;  Sixth  Infantry,  five  companies; 
Eighth  Infantry,  seven  companies. 

Second  Regular  Division,  Brigadier-General 
David  E.  Twiggs  commanding:  Light  Battery  K, 
First  Artillery;  howitzer  and  rocket  company; 
Mounted  Rifles,  nine  companies;  First  Artillery  as 
infantry;  Fourth  Artillery,  six  companies,  as  infan- 
try ;  Second  Infantry,  nine  companies ;  Third  Infan- 
try, six  companies;  Seventh  Infantry,  six  companies. 

Third  or  Volunteer  Division,  Major-General 
Robert  Patterson  commanding:  Third  Illinois, 
Fourth  Illinois;  Second  New  York,  ten  companies; 
First  Tennessee,  Second  Tennessee;  First  Pennsyl- 
vania, ten  companies;  Second  Pennsylvania,  ten  com- 
panies ;  South  Carolina,  eleven  companies ;  Kentucky, 
and  a  detachment  of  Tennessee  cavalry. 

The  enlistment  term  of  the  Georgians  and 
Alabamans  had  almost  expired,  so  they  were 
not  included. 

The  company  of  engineers,  which  contained 
Captain  Lee  and  Lieutenant  McClellan  and  Lieuten- 
ant Beauregard  and  other  smart  young  officers,  was 
independent ;  and  so  were  the  ordnance  or  heavy  artil- 
lery company  and  the  dragoons. 

Each  division  had  been  broken  into  brigades  as 
before;  and  although  Jerry's  Fourth  Infantry  and 

127 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

Hannibal's  Eighth  Infantry  were  still  in  separate 
brigades  they  were  in  the  First  Division,  anyway. 

Subtracting  the  General  Quitman  brigade  of 
South  Carolinans  (the  Palmettos),  Alabamans  and 
Georgia  Crackers,  and  the  Tennessee  cavalry,  who 
were  to  garrison  Vera  Cruz,  the  army  numbered  be- 
tween eight  and  nine  thousand  officers  and  men — not 
many  for  a  march  into  Mexico  and  a  fight  with 
General  Santa  Anna's  thirty  or  fifty  thousand. 

Jerry  proceeded  to  learn  the  drum,  with  Hanni- 
bal as  instructor.  The  drumsticks  proved  tricky — 
there  seemed  to  be  a  lot  of  rigmarole  and  Hannibal 
was  a  hard  drillmaster;  but  who  might  tell  what 
would  happen  in  the  coming  battles?  Young  Rome, 
drummer  boy  in  the  Twiggs  division,  had  been  dis- 
abled already.  So  it  behooved  a  fellow  to  be  pre- 
pared to  fill  a  vacancy. 

For  the  army  there  were  drills  and  evolutions  "  in 
masse,"  as  they  were  styled,  with  General  Scott  him- 
self commanding.  And  a  grand  spectacle  that  was, 
when  the  infantry  wheeled,  and  the  artillery  galloped, 
and  the  dragoons  spurred,  all  upon  the  plain  under 
the  walls  of  Vera  Cruz  crowded  with  townspeople, 
gathered  to  view  the  sight. 

On  the  evening  of  April  7  there  was  a  last  parade 
by  the  troops  together,  and  a  speech  by  General 
Scott,  in  which  he  promised  that  if  the  men  would 
follow  him  he  would  take  them  through. 

In  his  gold-buttoned  blue  frock  coat,  and  his  gold- 
braided  blue  trousers,  with  gold  epaulets  on  his  broad 
shoulders  and  a  gold  sash  around  his  waist  and  a 
plumed  cockaded  chapeau  upon  his  grizzled  head,  his 
tasseled  sword  in  its  engraved  scabbard  hanging  at 
128 


INSPECTING  THE  WILD  MOHAWKS 

his  side,  he  sat  his  horse  and  thundered  his  words 
so  that  almost  every  ear  could  hear.  He  called  the 
troops  "  My  brave  boys  " — and  at  the  close  of  the 
speech  they  roundly  cheered  their  "  Old  Fuss  and 
Feathers/'  the  "Hero  of  Chippewa" — that  battle 
in  the  War  of  1812  where  he  showed  the  enemy  that 
the  American  infantry  was  equal  to  the  best. 

The  march  onward  was  supposed  to  commence 
the  next  day,  April  8 ;  but — 

"  'Peahs  laike  we  Gin'ral  Worth  men  ain't 
gwine,"  Pompey  complained.  "  I  heah  Lieutenant 
Smith  sayin'  we  ain't  gwine  yet.  We-all  got  to  stay. 
Wha'  fo'  we-all  called  Fust  Division,  when  we 
ain't  fust?" 

Jerry  had  seen  little  of  Lieutenant  Grant  lately; 
the  lieutenant  had  been  acting  as  quartermaster  of  the 
Fourth  and  was  kept  busy.  Now  when  asked  about 
the  march,  he  replied  shortly : 

"  Yes.  The  Second  Division  leads.  General 
Worth  is  required  here;  but  you  can  depend  upon  it 
we'll  be  on  hand  for  the  fighting." 


IX 

THE  HEIGHTS  OF  CERRO  GORDO 

"  THE  general's  gone,  as  I  suppose  you  know, 
Grant,"  Lieutenant  Smith  remarked  to  Lieutenant 
Grant,  at  dinner  this  noon. 

The  day  was  April  12.  The  camp  was  much 
smaller  than  it  had  been  throughout  the  week  follow- 
ing the  fall  of  Vera  Cruz.  Early  in  the  morning  of 
April  8  the  Second  Division  had  marched  away,  with 
the  fifes  and  drums  and  the  bands  playing  Yankee 
Doodle.  Preceded  by  the  two  horse  companies  of 
the  Mounted  Rifles  the  long  column  had  wound  out 
over  the  National  Road  for  the  City  of  Mexico,  two 
hundred  and  seventy-five  or  eighty  miles  westward, 
as  the  road  ran. 

General  Scott  had  been  growing  impatient  with 
the  delays  in  the  arrival  of  wagons  and  animals. 
He  wished  to  move  all  the  troops  to  Jalapa,  at  least, 
which  was  in  the  mountains  about  seventy  miles  west. 
There  they  would  be  free  of  the  dreaded  vomito. 

So  on  the  next  day,  April  9,  the  General  Patterson 
Third  Division  of  Volunteers  had  started.  General 
Patterson  himself  was  on  sick  list,  and  General  Pil- 
low commanded  in  his  place.  The  Mohawks  had 
stumped  gaily  out,  singing  and  shouting. 

The  general  orders  had  directed  that  each  division 
take  a  wagon  train  carrying  six  days'  rations  for  the 
men  and  three  days'  oats  for  the  animals.  There 
would  be  little  forage  on  the  way  to  the  City  of 
Mexico  until  Jalapa  had  been  reached,  in  the  high 
country.  After  the  Mohawk  division  had  left,  there 
130 


THE  HEIGHTS  OF  CERRO  GORDO 

were  plenty  of  wagons  but  few  animals  remaining 
for  the  First  Division.  The  Mexican  horses  and 
mules  were  small,  poor  creatures.  Beside  them  the 
American  animals  were  giants.  A  siege  train  of 
six  heavy  guns  was  being  prepared  also.  And  the 
First  Division  had  had  to  wait. 

But  now — 

"The  general  gone?"  Lieutenant  Grant  answered. 
"  That's  good  news.  We'll  soon  be  gone,  too,  then." 

"  Yes ;  and  we're  in  for  a  lively  brush,  accord- 
ing to  reports.  Twiggs  and  Patterson  have  run  up 
against  the  whole  Mexican  army  at  Plan  del  Rio, 
fifty  miles  inland.  Santa  Anna's  said  to  be  there  in 
person,  with  all  the  troops  he  can  muster,  on  the  hills 
commanding  the  road  where  it  passes  through  a 
gorge  in  climbing  the  mountains.  So  the  general 
has  set  out  with  Lee  and  Phil  Kearny's  First  Dra- 
goons to  see  for  himself.  We'll  be  needed,  all  right." 

"  I'll  make  application  to  be  relieved  of  this  quar- 
termaster duty  and  permitted  to  serve  with  my  com- 
pany," Lieutenant  Grant  declared.  "  I  wouldn't  miss 
that  battle  for  a  thousand  dollars." 

"  Lieutenant  Grant,  he  want  to  fight,"  Pompey 
chuckled,  while  he  and  Jerry  cleared  away  the  mess 
dishes  after  dinner.  "  What  you  gwine  to  do,  when 
dey's  a-fightin'  dem  Mexicans?  " 

"  Going  to  keep  along  where  I  can  see,  anyhow," 
Jerry  asserted. 

"  Sho',  now ;  battlefield's  no  place  fo'  boys,"  Pom- 
pey rebuked.  "  Ain't  no  place  fo'  dis  nigger,  neither. 
You  an*  me  is  nuncumbatants.  We  got  to  tend  to 
camp,  so's  to  have  hot  victuals  ready.  Fightin'  is 
powerful  hungry  work." 

131 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

This  afternoon  orders  were  issued  to  the  regi- 
ments of  the  First  Division  to  prepare  to  break  camp 
in  the  morning.  That  was  good  news  to  everybody. 
Hannibal  was  as  jubilant  as  the  rest.  There  were 
all  kinds  of  rumors  but  they  sifted  down  to  the  one 
fact:  that  General  Santa  Anna,  who  had  been  so 
badly  defeated  by  General  Taylor  on  Washington's 
Birthday  last  February,  at  Buena  Vista  in  north- 
eastern Mexico,  had  moved  his  forces  eight  hundred 
miles  across  the  mountains  and  deserts  clear  to  the 
City  of  Mexico,  had  rallied  another  large  army  of 
Regulars,  National  Guards  and  Volunteers,  and  was 
now  fortified  two  hundred  miles  east  of  the  city — 
and  all  in  time  to  confront  the  army  of  General  Scott ! 

The  First  started  the  next  morning,  April  13, 
accompanied  by  the  engineers  and  a  detachment  of 
the  Second  Dragoons.  Light  marching  orders  was 
the  word — but  at  that,  what  with  the  muskets  which 
weighed  fourteen  pounds,  and  the  cartridge  boxes 
which  weighed  eight  pounds,  and  the  haversacks  and 
knapsacks  and  blanket  rolls  and  heavy  belts/the  can- 
teens of  water,  bayonets  in  scabbards,  and  so  forth, 
every  man  carried  about  forty  pounds  not  including 
his  woollen  clothing.  The  tents  and  the  extra  cloth- 
ing were  left  at  Vera  Cruz ;  Lieutenant  Smith  and 
Lieutenant  Grant  left  their  chests  and  spare  outfits — 
and  Jerry  rejoiced,  for  he  now  had  little  to  guard. 
He  could  do  about  as  he  pleased,  except  he  had  to 
tend  camp  when  necessary.  But  everybody  took 
three  days5  rations. 

Thereupon  he  boldly  marched  beside  Company  B, 
Lieutenant  Grant's  company. 

Only  General  Quitman,  with  the  South  Caro- 
132  i 


THE  HEIGHTS  OF  CERRO  GORDO 

linans,  the  Georgians  and  the  Alabamans  and  most 
of  the  Tennessee  horse,  remained  in  Vera  Cruz. 

The  column  of  cavalry,  artillery  and  infantry 
stretched  long.  The  canteens  and  the  tin  cups  clinked, 
the  heavy  shoes  clumped,  the  dragoon  horses  clat- 
tered, the  artillery  and  the  wagons  rumbled,  and  the 
dust  rose  in  a  white  cloud. 

Trudge,  trudge,  trudge,  with  the  bands  and  the 
fifes  and  drums  playing  marching  tunes — "  Yankee 
Doodle,"  "Will  You  Come  to  the  Bower "  (the 
Texas  battle  song  of  independence,  that) ,  "  Turkey  in 
the  Straw,"  "  Hail,  Columbia!  ",  and  so  on,  and  the 
men  marching  at  will.  The  dragoons  and  General 
Worth  and  staff  headed  the  column,  the  guns  of 
Colonel  Duncan's  flying  battery  came  next,  the  sturdy 
infantry  and  the  artillery  serving  as  infantry  fol- 
lowed, the  wagon  train  toiled  in  the  rear.  And  mid- 
way Jerry,  clad  in  an  old  cut-down  pair  of  army 
trousers,  and  an  old  army  shirt,  with  a  ragged  straw 
hat  on  his  crown  and  no  shoes  on  his  feet,  ambled 
beside  Company  B,  keeping  as  close  to  Lieutenant 
Grant  as  he  dared.  Pompey  was  somewhere,  prob- 
ably stealing  a  ride  in  one  of  the  wagons. 

The  road  was  a  poor  road  for  one  called 
"  National,"  the  main  road  to  the  capital.  It  was 
ankle  deep  in  sand.  Soon  the  soldiers  were  sweating 
and  panting.  When  a  halt  was  made  about  three 
miles  out,  at  a  stream,  they  began  to  overhaul  their 
knapsacks  and  haversacks,  and  throw  things  away. 
Presently  the  route  was  strewn  with  stuff,  although 
the  wise  ones  hung  to  their  blankets  and  great-coats 
and  rations,  if  nothing  else. 

Trudge,  trudge,  clinkity-clink,  all  that  day,  and 
133 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

all  the  next  day,  while  the  mountains  gradually 
loomed  higher  and  higher  before.  On  the  third 
day  they  had  arrived  at  the  Puente  National,  or 
National  Bridge,  where  the  road  crossed  the  Antigua 
River.  Now  the  mountains  and  the  Plan  del  Rio 
were  only  sixteen  miles  onward. 

General  Worth  ordered  camp  here  to  rest  the 
division.  He  himself  went  forward  to  consult  with 
General  Scott.  This  day  of  April  16  was  a  nervous 
day  in  the  bivouac.  The  men  all  were  held  together, 
forbidden  to  wander  from  the  lines.  But  the  dra- 
goons who  reconnoitred  ahead  said  that  they  had 
seen  the  Twiggs  and  Patterson  divisions  encamped 
and  waiting  down  near  Plan  del  Rio  village  beside 
the  Rio  del  Plan,  at  the  foot  of  the  mountains — prob- 
ably right  under  the  Mexican  army. 

An  aide  brought  back  orders  from  General 
Worth.  Hannibal  saw  him  come  galloping,  and 
soon  knew  what  was  up. 

"  Reveille  is  to  sound  at  eleven-thirty  to-night, 
and  we're  to  move  camp  in  the  dark." 

"  Then  what,  Hannibal?  "  Jerry  asked. 

"  Tell  you  later.  A  battle,  I  expect.  Old  Fuss 
and  Feathers  will  have  a  scheme." 

The  men  slept  on  the  ground  without  tents. 
Lieutenant  Smith  and  Lieutenant  Grant  did  not 
undress,  for  what  was  the  use?  Reveille  sounded  at 
eleven-thirty,  the  assembly  followed,  and  the  com- 
panies fell  in,  the  men  yawning  and  grumbling.  The 
night  was  pitchy  dark;  the  column  went  stumbling 
up  the  road,  with  the  soldiers  staggering  aside  as  if 
asleep  on  their  feet.  It  seemed  as  though  that  night's 
134 


THE  HEIGHTS  OF  CERRO  GORDO 

march  never  would  end;  and  at  daybreak,  when 
halt  was  sounded,  everybody  was  glad  indeed. 

But  what  a  panorama  that  was  as  the  sun  rose. 
It  was  well  worth  staying  awake  for.  Yonder,  below 
the  slope  up  which  the  night's  march  had  led,  there 
appeared  the  camps  of  the  two  other  divisions,  near 
the  little  village  in  a  level  bottom  or  valley.  The 
river  issued  from  a  gorge  in  the  mountains  and  flowed 
rapidly  down  past  the  village,  on  the  left  or  south. 
There  were  precipices  and  high  hills  on  both  sides  ot 
it ;  and  on  the  right  or  north  the  National  Road,  obli- 
quing from  the  river  and  village,  zigzagged  up  into 
the  hills,  and  crossed  the  mountains. 

This  was  the  Pass  of  Cerro  Gordo.  The  highest 
crest — a  huge  round-topped  hill — four  miles  distant 
in  the  midst  of  the  other  hills  along  the  road,  was 
Cerro  Gordo  itself :  Big  Mountain,  or  Telegraph  Hill. 
The  officers  said  that  with  their  glasses  they  could  see 
the  Mexican  flags  floating  from  its  very  summit,  over 
batteries,  and  over  a  stone  tower. 

11  Gin'ral  Scott,  he  got  to  shed  his  coat  an'  get 
to  work,  I  reckon/'  declared  Pompey,  who  had  ap- 
peared at  each  night's  camp.  "  How  we-all  gwine  to 
trabbel  on  with  dose  Mexicans  rollin'  rocks  down  on 
us  ?  An*  dar  ain't  no  road  't  all  odder  side  the  ribber. 
'Spec*  we  mought  have  to  make  wings  an'  fly  ober 
dose  mountings.  Don't  see  no  odder  way." 

Ahal  The  troops  below  were  already  in  motion. 
At  any  rate,  one  column  was  moving  out,  and  filing 
into  the  hills  on  the  north  of  the  road.  Marched 
like  Regulars;  must  be  the  Second  Division!  Was 
the  battle  about  to  begin,  before  the  First  Division 
received  orders?  But  when,  after  a  hasty  breakfast, 
135 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

the  division  hurried  down  and  camped  near  the 
Third  Division,  soldier  talk  explained  matters. 

The  Second  and  Third  Divisions  had  been  here 
two  or  three  days,  lying  low  and  wondering  how  to 
get  past  Cerro  Gordo.  When  the  Third  had  joined 
the  Second,  General  Twiggs  had  decided  to  storm 
Cerro  Gordo,  anyhow,  and  had  given  instructions  to 
General  Pillow.  He  was  a  fighting  man,  this  General 
Twiggs.  But  General  Patterson  had  heard  and  had 
galloped  forward  from  his  bed  to  take  command 
and  veto  the  orders.  Being  a  major-general,  he  out- 
ranked Old  Davy,  who  was  only  a  brigadier.  The 
men  had  been  rather  glum  at  the  idea  of  storming 
Cerro  Gordo  from  the  road — Jhat  looked  like  a  sure- 
death  job;  and  when  they  learned  that  nothing  would 
be  done  until  General  Scott  came  in,  they  felt 
mightily  relieved. 

General  Scott  had  arrived  on  the  fourteenth.  He 
immediately  sent  Captain  Lee  of  the  engineers  out  to 
examine  the  country.  Captain  Lee  reported  that  by 
following  a  deep  brushy  ravine  around  to  the  north- 
west, if  the  guns  and  men  could  be  got  through  then 
Cerro  Gordo  might  be  flanked  and  attacked  from  the 
rear.  Santa  Anna  faced  the  road,  of  course,  think- 
ing that  the  principal  attack  would  be  made  from 
that.  The  Americans  were  not  goats  or  rabbits; 
they  would  have  to  march  by  the  road.  And  Cerro 
Gordo  and  the  other  batteries  (quite  a  number)  com- 
manded all  the  zigzags  and  switchbacks  by  entrench- 
ments and  breastworks  two  miles  in  length.  His 
artillery  and  his  muskets,  manned  by  twelve  or  thir- 
teen thousand  soldiers,  would  simply  pulverize 
that  road. 

136 


THE  HEIGHTS  OF  CERRO  GORDO 

\  It  had  looked  like  a  problem  to  General  Twiggs 

and  Generals  Pillow  and  Patterson ;  but  Captain  Lee 
seemed  to  have  solved  the  problem.  General  Scott 
approved  the  plan.  Pioneers  were  dispatched  at  once 
to  open  a  trail  around  to  the  north  that  cannon  might 
be  hauled;  the  Second  Division  had  marched  this 
morning,  to  take  position  and  seize,  as  was  said,  a  hill 
that  the  Mexicans  had  neglected  to  fortify. 

The  day,  April  17,  was  a  fine  one,  with  just 
a  little  sea  breeze  wafting  in  from  the  gulf  and  Vera 
Cruz,  fifty  miles  east.  The  stars  and  stripes  flut- 
tered over  the  camps  of  the  First  and  Third  Divi- 
sions; but  the  Second  Division  apparently  did  not 
intend  to  come  back.  Upon  the  mountain  crests  three 
and  four  miles  west  the  Mexican  flags  fluttered.  All 
was  quiet  there.  General  Santa  Anna  seemed  to 
haverno  suspicion  that  anything  especial  was  happen- 
ing. He  waited  for  the  Americans  to  advance. 
General  Scott  knew  exactly  what  was  happening  and 
what  was  going  to  happen.  He  issued  his  orders 
for  battle. 

First  they  were  given  to  the  division  comman- 
ders. The  division  adjutants  furnished  copies  of 
them  to  the  brigade  commanders ;  the  brigade  adju- 
tants transmitted  them  to  the  regimental  com- 
manders; and  soon  the  company  officers  who  were 
keen  knew  them  also. 

"  Now  we  gwine  to  see  what  kind  ob  stratee- 
gis'  Gin'ral  Scott  am,"  Pompey  pronounced.  For 
Lieutenant  Grant  had  made  a  copy  of  the  orders 
where  posted,  and  he  and  Lieutenant  Smith  dis- 
cussed them. 

"  The  enemy's  whole  line  of  entrenchments  and 
batteries  will  be  attacked  in  front,  and  at  the  same 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

time  turned,  early  in  the  day  to-morrow — probably 
before  ten  o'clock  A.M./'  said  the  first  paragraph  of 
these  General  Orders  No.  in. 

"  Hi  golly !  "  Pompey  chuckled.  "  We  gwine 
to  slam  him  in  the  face  an'  in  the  back,  same  time. 
Dat's  proper." 

"  The  Second  Division  of  Regulars  is  already  ad- 
vanced within  easy  turning  distance  toward  the 
enemy's  left.  That  division  has  instructions  to  move 
forward  before  daylight  to-morrow,  and  take  up 
position  across  the  National  Road  in  the  enemy's 
rear,  so  as  to  cut  off  a  retreat  toward  Jalapa." 

"  We  got  dose  Mexicans  retreatin'  already," 
chuckled  Pompey,  while  Jerry  listened  with  all 
his  ears. 

The  Second  Division  was  to  be  reinforced  by 
General  Shields'  brigade  of  Volunteers. 

"  The  First  Division  of  Regulars  will  follow  the 
movement  against  the  enemy's  left  at  sunrise  to- 
morrow morning." 

"Hi!  Dat's  us,"  Pompey  announced.  "We 
gwine  to  be  dar  fo'  the  leavin's." 

General  Pillow's  brigade  of  Volunteers  was  to 
attack  from  the  front,  or  the  river  side,  as  soon  as 
he  heard  the  sounds  of  battle  in  the  north. 

"  The  enemy's  batteries  being  carried  or  aban- 
doned, all  our  divisions  and  corps  will  pursue  with 
vigor.  The  pursuit  may  be  continued  many  miles, 
until  stopped  by  darkness  or  fortified  positions,  to- 
ward Jalapa.  Consequently,  the  body  of  the  army 
will  not  return  to  this  encampment,  but  be  followed 
to-morrow  afternoon  or  early  the  next  morning,  by 
the  baggage  trains  of  the  several  corps." 
138 


THE  HEIGHTS  OF  CER&O  GORDO 

General  Scott  therefore  was  confident.  He  had 
no  notion  of  being  beaten;  he  made  no  mention  of 
what  to  do  in  case  that  his  troops  were  driven  back. 
All  his  order  read :  "  Go  ahead.5* 

"  Twiggs  has  the  honors  this  time,"  Lieutenant 
Smith  remarked.  "  Why,  that  old  fire-eater  will  cap- 
ture the  whole  bag  before  the  rest  of  us  ever  catch  up 
with  him ! " 

The  Second  had  a  good  head  start,  at  least.  Then, 
shortly  after  noon,  a  wave  of  heavy  gunfire  rolled  in 
from  the  northwest — the  direction  taken  by  the 
Twiggs  division.  Great  clouds  of  smoke  welled  up, 
three  miles  distant ;  the  heights  of  Cerro  Gordo  were 
veiled,  and  the  smoke  extended  down  and  rose  again. 

The  Second  Division  was  in  battle!  General 
Scott  evidently  had  expected  this.  In  about  an  hour 
the  long  roll  beat  for  General  Shields'  brigade,  in 
the  Volunteer  camp ;  out  they  went,  at  quick  time — 
the  Second  New  York  and  the  Third  and  Fourth 
Illinois,  and  three  twenty- four-pounders. 

General  Scott  himself  might  be  seen,  sitting  his 
horse,  upon  a  little  rise  of  the  valley  bottom,  gazing 
steadily  at  the  smoke  through  his  glass.  Very  calm 
and  collected  he  appeared.  His  aides  galloped  for- 
ward as  if  to  get  the  news. 

All  that  afternoon  the  booming  of  cannon  and 
the  drumming  of  musketry  continued.  No  bad  news 
came  back.  At  sunset  the  firing  died  away.  An  aide 
from  General  Twiggs  raced  in  and  reported  to  Gen- 
eral Scott.  Speedily  there  were  cheers. 

Captain  Gore  of  the  company  hastened  forward 
to  learn  what  he  might.  He  returned. 

"  The  movement  by  General  Twiggs  has  been 
139 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

entirely  successful,  men.  The  American  flag  is  now 
f  established  upon  a  hill  directly  opposite  Telegraph 
Hill,  within  easy  range  of  the  rear  of  the  enemy's 
defenses.  Colonel  Harney's  Mounted  Rifles  and  the 
First  Artillery,  supported  by  the  Seventh  Infantry, 
carried  it  in  gallant  style,  and  General  Shields'  bri- 
gade is  reinforcing  with  men  and  guns.  The  first 
stage  of  the  battle  has  been  won." 

"  An*  will  we  get  into  the  foight,  cap'n,  plaze, 
sorr  ?  "  old  Sergeant  Mulligan  asked. 

"  We'll  do  our  level  best,  sergeant.  All  we  want 
is  the  chance." 

This  was  an  uneasy  night.  The  men  persisted  in 
talking  among  themselves  until  late.  The  veterans 
who  had  fought  in  other  battles  cracked  jokes  and 
told  stories,  and  the  few  new  men  were  nervous. 
The  sergeants  and  corporals  in  vain  cautioned : 
"Silence!  Go  to  sleep." 

Lieutenant  Grant  lay  under  his  blanket  in  the 
open,  for  the  tents  were  far  behind.  The  night  was 
sultry;  showers  of  rain  fell,  wetting  the  blankets. 
Pompey  himself  chattered  less  than  usual  and  Jerry 
felt  serious.  To-morrow  there  was  going  to  be  a 
great  battle  of  eight  thousand  American  soldiers 
against  twelve  thousand  Mexican  soldiers,  strongly 
fortified  on  the  hills. 

"  Cerro  Gordo  hill  is  the  key  to  the  field,"  Lieu- 
tenant Grant  had  said  "  That  of  course  must  be 
taken,  and  all  the  operations  will  concentrate  upon  it." 

The  First  Division  did  not  know  till  later,  but 
all  this  night  the  Illinois  and  New  York  Volunteers 
were  working  like  Trojans,  dragging  the  three 
twenty- four-pounders,  under  direction  of  Captain 
140 


THE  HEIGHTS  OF  CERRO  GORDO 

Lee  and  Lieutenant  Hagner  of  the  Ordnance,  through 
the  brush  and  over  the  rocks  and  tree  trunks,  and 
up  the  hill.  The  men  were  divided  into  two  detach- 
ments. One  detachment  rested  while  the  other  de- 
tachment hauled  and  shoved;  then  the  working 
detachment  blocked  the  wheels  and  lay  panting  while 
the  first  detachment  buckled  to.  It  was  not  until 
three  o'clock  in  the  morning,  that  amidst  the  darkness 
and  the  rain  the  three  guns  were  placed  in  position 
to  open  fire  upon  Telegraph  Hill. 

Down  in  the  camp  at  Plan  del  Rio  reveille  was 
sounded  before  daylight.  Breakfast  was  eaten  in  the 
pink  of  dawn.  And  listen!  The  day's  battle  had 
commenced !  Cannon  were  bellowing  from  the  Sec- 
ond Division's  hill — sending  grape  and  solid  shot  into 
the  Mexican  entrenchments  upon  Telegraph  Hill. 
The  Mexicans  were  replying. 

Huzzah !  The  long  roll  sounded,  signaling  to  the 
men  to  be  alert. 

"  Fall  in!  Fall  in!  "  the  sergeants  shouted;  and 
the  assembly  was  not  needed.  Company  B  was  ready 
in  a  jiffy,  the  men  with  muskets  in  hand,  their  car- 
tridge boxes  and  bayonet  scabbards  in  place,  their 
knapsacks  and  their  haversacks  with  two  days'  rations 
hanging  from  their  shoulders.  They  formed  a 
single  rank  facing  to  the  right 
"Front  face!" 

They  faced  together,  in  company  front. 
"  In  three  ranks,  form  company !     By  the  left 
flank!     Left   face!     March!"   barked   First   Ser- 
geant Mulligan. 

That  done,  Company  B  was  three.  me.a  (or  files) 
141 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

deep ;  and  Sergeant  Mulligan  turned  it  over  to  Cap- 
tain Gore. 

"  Number  off !  "  the  captain  ordered. 

The  men  numbered. 

"  Shoulder — arms !  To  the  rear,  open  order — 
march !  Front !  " 

Now  the  company  was  in  opened  ranks.  The 
lieutenants  and  the  first  sergeant  quickly  passed  be- 
hind, examining  the  cartridge  boxes  to  see  that  all 
were  filled. 

"  Fix — bayonets! " 

"  Close  order — march !  " 

To  the  color  had  been  sounded. 

"  By  the  right  flank — right  face — forward — 
march !  "  And  Company  B  marched  to  its  position 
at  the  head  of  the  Fourth  Regiment,  for  it  was 
the  color  company. 

Jerry  followed.  He  had  no  idea  of  being  left 
behind ;  he  determined  to  keep  his  eyes  upon  Lieu- 
tenant Grant,  and  he  paid  no  attention  to  the  where- 
abouts of  Pompey. 

General  Worth,  stately  and  handsome,  his  black 
eyes  flashing,  was  sitting  his  horse.  Colonel  Garland, 
of  the  First  Brigade,  issued  sharp  orders,  which  were 
repeated  by  the  galloping  brigade  adjutant  to  the 
regimental  commanders,  and  by  them  to  the  company 
officers.  The  gunfire  among  the  hills  had  waxed 
tremendous.  The  General  Pillow  brigade  of  Volun- 
teers was  about  to  move. 

General  Worth  lifted  his  sword — his  orders  had 
meant  "  Forward !  "  The  companies  broke  into  pla- 
toons and  away  they  tramped,  at  quick  step,  in  long 
column  again,  the  fifes  and  drums  playing  merrily* 
142 


THE  HEIGHTS  OF  CERRO  GORDO 

The  Pillow  brigade  was  coming.  Those  Pennsyl- 
vanians  and  Tennesseeans  had  been  directed  to  storm 
Telegraph  Hill  from  in  front,  if  possible;  they  had 
several  batteries  to  carry,  first.  No  pleasant  job, 
that ;  and  all  as  a  feint  to  hold  the  Mexicans  occupied 
on  the  roadside. 

The  First  Division  branched  to  the  right,  and  into 
the  brush  through  which  the  pioneers  had  hacked  a 
rough  trail.  The  faces  of  the  soldiers  were  stern; 
some  white,  some  red,  with  excitement.  The  battle 
clamor  arose  so  loud  that  the  drums  and  fifes  could 
scarcely  be  heard.  A  dense  cloud  of  smoke  covered 
the  hills  before.  Were  those  cheers,  mingled  with 
the  bellowing  of  cannon  and  the  roll  of  muskets? 
From  whom — the  Mexicans  or  the  blue-coats  ?  Jerry 
stumbled  as  he  half  ran,  trying  to  stay  close  to 
Lieutenant  Grant. 

The  trail  was  cumbered  with  tree  trunks  and  rocks 
and  cactus.  After  a  time  the  Fourth  Regiment 
rounded  the  base  of  a  hill,  and  emerged  at  a  ravine 
running  crosswise,  at  the  very  foot  of  Telegraph 
Hill  itself.  Upon  the  top  of  the  first  hill  cannon  were 
thundering.  And  look!  The  hither  slope  of  the 
other  hill  was  alive  with  men,  toiling  up  in  ragged 
lines,  following  the  colors.  They  were  blue-coats — 
Regulars!  The  standard  of  the  Mounted  Rifles 
waved  on  the  left,  in  the  ravine.  The  Mexican  bat- 
teries and  entrenchments  were  shooting  down  upon 
the  storming  columns,  the  Rifles  were  deploying  and 
facing  a  charge  upon  the  stormers'  flank ;  and  from 
the  top  of  the  first  hill  the  twenty- four-pounders 
were  pouring  grape  and  ball  across,  into  the  higher 
hill,  El  Telegrapho. 

143 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

"Huzzah!  Huzzah!  Huzzah!"  The  First  Di- 
vision quickened  pace,  so  eager  the  men  were  to  get 
into  the  fight. 

"  Form  company !  First  platoon — right  oblique 
— quick — march !  "  And — "  Left  into  line,  wheel !  " 
the  adjutant  shouted. 

"  To  the  left,  into  line — quick — march !  "  shouted 
Captain  Gore  to  Company  B. 

The  men  obeyed  at  a  run.  The  division  was 
forming  line  of  battle. 

"  Forward — center  guide — quick  time — march !  " 

The  drums  tapped  briskly.  They  had  crossed  the 
head  of  the  ravine,  they  began  to  scramble  up  the 
slope,  at  last,  in  the  wake  of  the  Second  Division 
stormers.  The  brush  and  rocks  were  reddened, 
strewn  with  knapsacks,  and  dotted  with  dead  and 
wounded ;  the  climb  was  very  steep.  A  perfect  pan- 
demonium raged  above.  Bullets  and  grape-shot  were 
whistling  overhead.  The  men  gripped  their  muskets 
and  peered  and  panted.  Huzzah!  But  what's  the 
cheering  for?  For  General  Scott!  Here  he  stood, 
as  large  as  life,  in  his  full  uniform,  gazing  through 
his  glass  up  the  hill,  marking  the  progress  of  the 
charge.  He  looked  as  cool  and  confident  as  if 
watching  a  parade. 

"  Huzzah  for  Old  Fuss  and  Feathers!  Huzzah ! 
Huzzah!" 

Company  B  passed  close  to  him.  He  waved 
encouragingly. 

"  On,  my  brave  boys !  "  he  said. 

Next  there  were  breastworks,  bloodied  and  tram- 
pled. The  Mexicans  had  already  been  driven  out  of 
these.  Scrambling  inside,  Jerry  almost  stepped  upon 
144 


THE  HEIGHTS  OF  CERRO  GORDO 

a  drum — a  drum,  drumsticks,  cross-belt  harness  and 
all.  It  was  a  Mexican  drum,  but  differing  little  from 
a  United  States  outfit  except  the  Mexican  eagle  in- 
stead of  the  American  eagle  upon  the  brass  plates. 
So  he  grabbed  it  up  quick,  and  lugging  it  on,  trying 
to  sling  it,  he  pursued  the  line. 

The  slope  continued.  A  breeze  was  wafting  away 
the  smoke ;  the  stars  and  stripes  and  the  regimental 
flags  of  the  stormers  had  advanced  far ;  and  the  blue 
ragged  line,  rushing,  resting,  and  rushing  again, 
pressing  after  the  streaming  folds  and  after  a  single 
figure,  who,  sword  flashing,  kept  in  the  lead. 

The  drum  bothered  Jerry.  When  he  had  slipped 
into  the  cross-belts  they  were  so  long  that  the  drum 
struck  his  shins,  and  the  best  that  he  could  do  was 
to  carry  it  in  his  arms.  His  own  battle  line  had 
forged  well  ahead  of  him ;  and  when,  dipping  into  a 
hollow,  and  clambering  up  out,  still  following  Com- 
pany B,  he  might  glimpse  the  stormers  again,  he 
heard  a  hearty  burst  of  cheers  and  yells. 

Huzzah !  Huzzah !  The  hurrying  First  Division 
was  cheering — echoing  the  cheers  from  the  top  of  the 
hill.  From  the  stone  tower  above  a  blue  regimental 
flag  was  flying — and  the  stars  and  stripes ;  the  Mexi- 
can flag  had  come  down.  The  American  soldiers 
were  springing  upon  the  breastworks  just  beyond, 
wielding  their  bayonets  as  they  disappeared — other 
American  flags  had  been  planted — the  red  caps  of 
the  Mexican  defenders  surged  backward,  and  eddy- 
ing and  tossing  broke  into  numerous  rivulets  flowing 
tumultuously  across  the  hill,  to  the  south,  for  the 
road  below. 


10 


X 

JERRY  JOINS  THE  RANKS 

EL  TELEGRAPHO  HILL — Cerro  Gordo,  the  Big 
Hill — had  been  taken.  When  Jerry,  lugging  his 
precious  drum,  joined  the  Fourth  Infantry  the  blue 
coats  were  swarming  over  the  flat  top,  taking  pris- 
oners, and  the  Mexican  rout  was  tearing  down  in  the 
south  making  for  the  Jalapa  road. 

From  the  northwest  edge  of  the  hill  another 

storming  column  had  entered.    This  was  the  Second 

Infantry  and  Fourth  Artillery,  under  Colonel  Bennet 

Riley,  of  the  Second  Brigade,  who  had  been  ordered 

I      to  make  a  half  circuit.     But  they  had  arrived  too 

I      late.  Colonel  Harney,  the  dragoon,  and  his  Third  and 

j       Seventh  Infantry  and  First  Artillery  had  captured 

the  hill  themselves.     Those  were  the  flags  of  the 

Third,  the  Seventh  and  the  First.     The  flag  of  the 

t        Seventh  had  been  raised  first.     Quartermaster-Ser- 

\       geant  Henry,  of  the  Seventh,  had  been  the  man  who 

had  hauled  down  the  Mexican  flag  from  the  flagpole 

on  the  stone  tower,  and  the  Seventh's  color-bearers 

had  instantly  raised  their  own  standards. 

The  battle  was  won,  but  not  all  over.  Colonel 
Riley  at  once  launched  his  column  in  pursuit  of  the 
fleeing  Mexicans.  General  Shields'  Volunteers — the 
Third  and  Fourth  Illinois  and  the  New  Yorkers — 
were  attacking  in  the  west,  to  seize  the  batteries  there 
and  cut  in  to  the  Jalapa  road.  Cannon  were  booming 
in  the  south,  where  General  Pillow's  Tennesseeans 
and  Pennsylvanians  and  a  company  of  Fourth  Ken- 
146 


JERRY  JOINS  THE  RANKS 

tuckians  were  being  held  at  bay  still.  But  the  hill 
of  Cerro  Gordo  commanded  all  the  country ;  it  was 
the  key,  and  in  the  Mexican  batteries  around  white 
flags  were  being  hoisted.  Detachments  were  sent  by 
General  Worth,  who  was  senior  officer  here,  to  take 
possession.  The  firing  died  away. 

On  the  top  of  the  hill  all  was. excitement.  The 
dead  and  wounded  were  thick.  The  Rifles  came  up 
from  the  ravine  where  they  had  checked  a  charge  of 
the  Mexicans  to  turn  Colonel  Harney's  left;  their 
band  was  bringing  a  lot  of  prisoners,  to  the  tune  of 
Yankee  Doodle.  The  men  of  the  storming  columns 
were  loud  in  their  praises  of  Colonel  Harney.  It 
was  he  who  had  led,  bare-headed  and  sword  in  hand. 
The  fifteen  hundred  of  them  had  taken  the  hill,  de- 
fended by  breastworks  and  the  stone  tower  and 
six  thousand  Mexican  soldiers.  Huzzah!  Huz- 
zah !  Huzzah ! 

And  now  here  was  General  Scott,  on  his  horse. 
The  men  ran  for  him,  the  wounded  crawled  nearer 
or  feebly  cheered ;  tears,  were  flooding  his  grizzled 
cheeks ;  he  removed  his  hat,  and  his  voice  trembled. 

"  Brother  soldiers !  I  am  proud  to  call  you 
brothers,  and  your  country  will  be  proud  to  hear  of 
your  conduct  this  day.  Our  victory  has  cost  us  the 
lives  of  a  number  of  brave  men,  but  they  died  fight- 
ing for  their  country.  Soldiers,  you  have  a  claim  on 
my  gratitude  for  your  conduct  this  day  which  I  will 
never  forget." 

He  beckoned  to  Colonel  Harney,  and  held  out 
his  hand  to  him. 

"  Colonel  Harney,  I  cannot  now  fully  express  my 

147 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

admiration  of  your  gallant  achievement,  but  at  the 
proper  time  I  shall  take  great  pleasure  in  thanking 
you  in  proper  terms." 

He  put  his  chapeau  back  upon  his  grey  head  and 
slowly  rode  on.  Every  few  paces  he  halted  to  bend 
and  speak  with  the  wounded. 

Lieutenant  Grant  was  untouched ;  so  were  Cap- 
tain Gore  and  Lieutenant  Smith;  the  Fourth  Infan- 
try, and  in  fact,  the  whole  of  the  First  Division  had 
escaped  all  accident  save  by  a  few  spent  balls.  It  was 
said  that  General  Shields  of  the  Volunteers  had  been 
mortally  wounded  by  a  bullet  through  the  chest — 
had  a  hole  in  him  the  size  of  one's  fist!  Major 
Sumner  of  the  Second  Dragoons  had  been  wounded. 
Lieutenant  Thomas  Ewell  of  the  Rifles,  but  serving 
in  the  charge,  had  been  the  first  officer  to  spring  upon 
the  breastworks  at  the  tower  and  had  been  shot  down. 
He  and  Colonel  Harney  and  Quartermaster-Ser- 
geant Henry  (who  had  hauled  down  the  Mexican 
flag  there)  were!  the  heroes  of  the  hour. 

Santa  Anna  had  fled,  when  he  saw  the  hill  being 
taken.  General  Vasquez,  of  his  infantry,  was  lying 
dead  here  (a  fine  looking  man,  who  had  fallen  shot 
through  the  head,  but  his  face  to  the  foe) ;  other 
generals  were  surrendering — General  Vega,  who  had 
been  fighting  off  the  Pillow  Volunteers,  near  the 
river,  had  surrendered  all  his  force.  How  many 
Mexicans  had  been  captured  and  what  the  losses 
were  on  both  sides  nobody  yet  knew. 

Hugging  his  drum  and  roaming  over  the  battle- 
field, Jerry  met  Hannibal.  They  shook  hands 
and  danced. 

148 


JERRY  JOINS  THE  RANKS 

"  What  you  got  there,  boy  ?  " 

"  A  drum.  Found  it  on  the  way  up." 

"  Mexican  drum,  huh?    Going  to  keep  it?  " 

"Guess  so.    Can't  I?" 

"  Sure  you  can.  You  may  get  a  chance  to  be  a 
drummer.  We  can  fix  it  over.  But  hurrah!  Didn't 
we  do  the  business,  though?  Took  the  works  just  as 
Fuss  and  Feathers  said.  Never  a  hitch.  Pillow  was 
licked,  at  first,  but  that  made  no  difference ;  nobody 
expected  him  to  do  more  than  hold  the  enemy's 
attention.  Twiggs  and  Riley's  brigade  are  cleaning 
up  the  country  west,  and  the  dragoons  are  right  on 
Santa  Anna's  heels.  Now  we  won't  stop  again  till 
we're  in  the  Halls  of  Montezuma.  There's  the  long 
roll  for  the  First.  Good-by.  We're  moving.  Hang 
on  to  that  drum." 

The  First  Division  had  been  directed  to  march  for 
the  road  and  support  the  Riley  brigade  in  pursuit  of 
the  Mexicans.  It  was  now  mid-afternoon.  Reports 
came  back  that  the  dragoons  were  pressing  hard 
down  the  road,  and  that  the  Mexicans  were  too  long- 
legged  for  the  infantry.  Camp  was  ordered  for  the 
night,  just  beyond  the  little  village  of  Cerro  Gordo, 
in  the  pass. 

General  Santa  Anna's  headquarters  camp  had 
been  here  also.  It  and  the  village  had  been  seized 
by  the  Shields  Volunteers  and  they  were  highly  ex- 
cited. They  had  found  Santa  Anna's  carriage — a 
large  gilded  coach,  patterned  after  the  State  coach  of 
Napoleon  Bonaparte.  But  General  Santa  Anna  was 
not  in  it.  He  had  cut  the  team  loose  and  had  fled 
upon  one  of  the  mules. 

149 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

The  Volunteers  were  passing  a  wooden  leg 
around ;  said  that  it  was  Santa  Anna's  leg — 

"No!    His  leg  is  cork." 

"Well,  this  may  be  his  reserve  leg,  mayn't  it? 
Next  time  we'll  capture  the  cork  leg  and  then  he  can't 
run  so  fast." 

And  a  group  of  other  Volunteers  were  having 
a  rough  and  tumble  over  something  upon  the  ground. 

It  was  a  chest,  burst  open;  a  chest  of  Mexican 
money  for  the  expenses  of  Santa  Anna's  army.  The 
military  chest,  that  is.  The  soldiers  were  grabbing 
at  the  money ;  officers  were  trying  to  separate  them. 
Suddenly  all  stood  aside  and  saluted,  for  General 
Scott  was  towering  above,  upon  his  horse. 

"  Let  the  boys  have  what  is  on  the  ground,  offi- 
cers," he  said.  "  They've  fought  and  worked  all 
day  and  deserve  what  they  get.  The  remainder  will 
be  placed  in  charge  of  the  chief  quartermaster." 

Pompey  (Jerry  had  forgotten  Pompey)  arose 
from  the  bottom  of  the  heap,  his  black  fists  crammed 
with  bills.  He  certainly  had  arrived  here  very 
quickly;  no  doubt  had  come  in  one  of  the  wagons 
sent  forward  to  receive  wounded. 

"  Yes,  suh.  Sojerin'  is  powerful  hahd  work  fo' 
mighty  little  pay,"  he  pronounced.  "  We-all  near 
captured  Santy  Annie.  We  done  made  him  pore; 
he's  gwine  to  beg  his  victuals,  that's  shuah."  Pom- 
pey saw  Jerry  and  grinned.  "  Howdy,  boy.  Where 
you  been?  " 

"  Climbing  Telegraph  Hill  with  the  troops." 

"  Huh !  "  Pompey  grunted.  "  Wha'  fo'  you  go  to 
all  dat  work  ?  I  come  'round  by  the  road  an'  ketch 
150 


JERRY  JOINS  THE  RANKS' 

Santy  Annie  hyar.  He  run  so  fast  he  forgit  his  laig 
an'  all  his  money.  Jest  slashed  his  mules  from  dat 
coach  an'  skadoodled  Where  you  find  dat  drum?  " 

"  In  some  breastworks." 

"  What  you  gwine  to  do  with  it?  " 

"  Keep  it." 

"  'Spec'  you  set  big  sto'  on  bein'  a  drummer." 

"  Shouldn't  wonder,  Pompey." 

"  Dis  chile's  so  rich  now  he  can  be  a  gin'ral," 
Pompey  chuckled.  "  He  don't  have  to  sojer  com- 
mon. Yes,  suh ;  Gin'ral  Scott  am  a  great  strateegis'." 

The  baggage  train  had  not  come  in  yet  from  Plan 
del  Rio,  and  the  camp  was  only  a  plain  bivouac  of 
blankets  and  haversack  rations.  Having  little  to  do, 
Jerry  was  cautiously  trying  out  his  drum,  when 
Lieutenant  Grant  spoke  to  him. 

"  You've  won  a  drum,  I  see." 

"  Yes,  sir." 

"  Can  you  play  it?  " 

"  A  little,  is  all ;  but  I'm  learning." 

"  You  want  to  be  a  drummer  boy,  I  suppose." 

"  Yes,  sir." 

"  Well,  you  have  a  chance.  One  of  the  drum- 
mers of  the  Fourth  broke  his  leg  on  the  way  up  the 
hill.  He  got  in  front  of  a  spent  solid  shot.  You 
might  report  to  Drum  Major  Brown  and  see  if  he 
can  do  anything  for  you.  I  hope,"  the  lieutenant 
added,  with  a  smile,  "  you  can  drum  better  than  you 
can  cook  or  make  a  bed." 

"  Hope  so,  too,  lieutenant,"  Jerry  answered. 
"  Thank  you,  sir.  Hooray !  " 

Tall  Drum  Major  Brown  of  the  Fourth  looked 
him  over. 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

"  Lieutenant  Grant  sent  you,  eh?  What  can 
you  do?  " 

"  I  don't  know,"  Jerry  acknowledged.  "  I 
can't  cook." 

"  Looks  like  he's  found  that  out.  Whenever  a 
man's  good  at  nothing  he  tries  to  join  the  band  or  the 
field  music.  Humph !  Where'd  you  get  that  drum  ?  " 

"  On  the  way  up  the  hill." 

"  What  were  you  doing  there  ?  " 

"  Just  following  along,  sir,  to  keep  with  the  lieu- 
tenant and  the  company." 

"  You're  the  same  young  fellow  who  was  in  the 
naval  battery,  aren't  you  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir." 

"  Can  you  drum?" 

"  Not  much  yet,  but  I'll  learn." 

"  Let's  hear  you.    Sound  a  roll." 

Jerry  did,  after  a  fashion. 

"  Tap  common  time." 

Jerry  did. 

"  Now  quick  time." 

Jerry  did. 

"  You've  got  a  pretty  good  ear,"  the  drum  major 
approved.  "  I'm  a  drummer  short.  I'll  see  what  I 
can  do  for  you,  but  of  course  I'll  have  to  ask  the 
adjutant.  Anyway,  you  can  fall  in  with  the  field 
music  in  the  morning  for  the  march.  Are  those 
your  best  clothes  ?  " 

"Yes,  sir." 

"  Maybe  we  can  rustle  a  uniform  for  you,  and 
have  a  tailor  fit  it." 

"  Could  I  stay  in  Company  B  ?  " 

"Why?" 


JERRY  JOINS  THE  RANKS 

"  That's  my  company,  sir." 

"  Oh !  Is  it !  Well,  as  happens,  the  vacancy  is 
in  Company  C,  and  there  you  go  unless  Sykes  of 
Company  B  will  exchange  with  you,  and  the  company 
officers  don't  object." 

"  Thank  you,  Mr.  Brown."  Jerry  sped  away  to 
find  Hannibal  and  practice  a  few  wrinkles.  The  two 
worked  a  long  time,  shortening  the  cross-belts  and 
adapting  the  drum  so  that  it  would  hang  properly. 


XI 

IN  THE  WAKE  OF  THE  FLEEING  ENEMY 

GENERAL  SCOTT  had  lost  three  officers  and  sixty 
rank  and  file  killed,  thirty  officers  and  three  hundred 
and  thirty-six  men  wounded,  with  one  private  miss- 
ing. The  Mexican  killed  and  wounded  were  over  one 
thousand;  five  generals  and  three  thousand  other 
officers  and  men  had  been  taken,  together  with  four 
or  five  thousand  stands  of  small  arms  and  forty- 
three  pieces  of  artillery. 

The  surgeons  thought  that  General  Shields  might 
get  well ;  he  had  a  fighting  chance.  Major  Sumner 
of  the  dragoons  was  going  to  travel  in  the  Santa 
Anna  coach  until  he  was  strong  enough  to  ride  a 
horse  again. 

The  First  Division  was  to  push  right  onward, 
following  up  the  retreat  of  the  eight  thousand  Mexi- 
cans who  had  escaped.  The  main  part  of  the  Second 
Division  and  the  ill  General  Patterson,  with  a  portion 
of  the  Volunteers,  were  camped  farther  along,  up  the 
road,  but  it  was  understood  that  the  First  would 
soon  have  the  honor  of  the  advance,  because  its  men 
were  fresh.  And  that  was  what  the  First  desired : 
to  get  ahead.  It  was  tough  to  have  missed  out  in 
the  battle  of  Cerro  Gordo.  Still,  nothing  could  have 
stopped  old  Colonel  Harney,  once  he  was  started 
up  that  hill. 

Reveille  had  been  ordered  for  four-thirty;  and 
when  Musicians'  Call  sounded  for  all  the  regimental 
field  music  to  assemble  at  the  guard  tent  for  roll- 


IN  THE  WAKE  OF  THE  FLEEING  ENEMY 

call,  Jerry  boldly  appeared  to  answer  the  drum- 
major's  inspection.  Not  much  of  a  figure  he  cut, 
either,  in  his  rags,  and  he  had  no  little  fun  poked 
at  him;  but  he  stuck  and  kept  his  place  when  the 
drums  and  fifes  formed  at  the  head  of  the  regiment 
for  the  march. 

It  was  a  fine  morning.  General  Scott  had  ridden 
on,  with  an  escort,  to  make  his  headquarters  at 
Jalapa,  sixteen  miles  beyond  the  pass.  The  road 
was  all  littered  with  the  spoils  of  war.  The  fleeing 
Mexicans  had  thrown  away  everything:  guns  and 
overcoats  and  cartridge  boxes,  knapsacks  and  haver- 
sacks. And  soon  worse  signs  of  battle  were  to  be 
noted.  Bodies  of  Mexican  soldiers,  cold  and  bloody, 
became  thicker  and  thicker.  The  dragoons  had 
spurred  along  here,  hot  in  pursuit  of  the  enemy. 
The  skulls  of  most  of  the  dead  men  had  been  split 
asunder  by  sabers.  The  bodies  were  mainly  those 
of  Mexican  lancers  who  had  tried  to  cover  the 
retreat ;  but  evidently  the  lancers  had  been  no  match 
for  the  Second  Dragoons  led  by  Major  Ben  Beall,  and 
Captain  Phil  Kearny's  one  company  of  the  First. 

The  bodies  lay  in  the  road  and  upon  both  sides 
all  the  way  to  Encerro,  eight  miles.  The  majority 
of  the  dragoon  horses  had  given  out  here;  but  from 
Encerro  (which  was  General  Santa  Anna's  country- 
place — or  one  of  several  such  places)  to  Jalapa  there 
were  still  a  few  bodies,  for  some  of  the  dragoons 
had  kept  on  through  the  whole  sixteen  miles. 

The  road  climbed.    It  was  a  paved  road,  broken 

into  holes  by  the  rains.    Beyond  Encerro  the  country 

grew  much  better.    More  mountains  loomed  before, 

huge  and  blue.    As  the  road  wound  upward,  there 

155 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

were  green  trees  and  lively  streams  that  emptied 
into  an  irrigating  ditch  skirting  the  road ;  and  corn, 
coffee,  plantain  and  banana  plantations  with  neat 
white  houses,  instead  of  the  cactus  and  brush  and 
bare  ground  and  huts  of  the  tierra  ccdiente — the 
warm  land  of  the  lower  yellow- fever  district.  It  all 
looked  pretty  good. 

"We'll  not  starve  hereabouts,  that's  sure,"  re- 
marked the  drummer  who  was  plying  his  sticks  on 
Jerry's  left. 

By  the  time,  early  evening,  that  Jalapa  was  in 
sight  the  men  were  tired  again,  and  Jerry's  fingers 
were  blistered  with  the  drumsticks.  Now  the  road 
was  lined  on  both  sides  with  flowering  shrubs  and 
vines,  and  the  birds  were  singing  loudly. 

General  Worth  directed  the  adjutant  to  have 
camp  made  on  a  piece  of  high  ground  near  the  road. 
The  drums  beat  the  halt.  The  day's  up-hill  march 
had  ended  a  short  mile  out  of  Jalapa. 

After  the  guards  had  been  posted  and  supper  had 
been  eaten,  everybody  was  glad  enough  to  turn  in. 
Tattoo,  to  extinguish  lights  and  be  quiet,  was 
not  needed. 

When  reveille  sounded  at  daybreak,  the  drum- 
mers and  fifers  saw  a  beautiful  scene  indeed.  The 
camp  was  above  the  clouds.  Below,  in  the  east  or  the 
direction  of  Vera  Cruz,  a  thunderstorm  was  raging; 
the  lightning  darted  through  the  clouds,  which  were 
white  on  top  with  the  rays  of  the  unseen  sun.  Only 
twenty-five  miles  in  the  south  old  Orizaba  Peak 
shone  like  silver.  Jerry  frequently  had  seen  it  from 
Vera  Cruz,  but  never  had  it  appeared  so  wonderful. 
And  on  before,  in  the  west,  there  was  Jalapa,  located 
156 


IN  THE  WAKE  OF  THE  FLEEING  ENEMY 

between  hills,  with  its  white  houses  and  red  roofs  set 
amidst  orchards  and  gardens. 

"  Well,  now  I  say  that  like  as  not  we  all  were 
killed  at  Cerro  Gordo  and  have  arrived  in  Heaven," 
Drum  Major  Brown  said. 

"That's  right;  for  according  to  the  Spanish, 
they  have  a  saying : '  Jalapa  is  a  small  piece  of  Heaven 
fallen  to  earth/  "  a  fifer  asserted. 

"  You're  wrong  there,  and  so  are  they,"  corrected 
somebody.  "  Look  beyond.  We're  going  to  be 
nearer  Heaven  than  when  down  at  Jalapy." 

Back  of  Jalapa  the  real  mountains  began.  They 
rose  straight  up,  it  seemed,  in  a  series  of  purple 
masses  until  their  crests  touched  the  sky. 

Halt  was  made  at  pretty  Jalapa  only  long  enough 
for  General  Worth  to  receive  fresh  instructions 
from  General  Scott;  and  out  the  First  Division 
marched,  leaving  the  Second  Division  behind,  and 
the  Patterson  Volunteers,  and  most  of  the  dragoons. 
The  First  was  in  the  advance  at  last 

Rumors  stated  that  the  First  was  to  take  the  castle 
of  Perote,  twenty-five  miles  on.  Perote  ranked  sec- 
ond in  strength  to  only  San  Juan  de  Ulloa  itself.  But 
if  one  brigade  of  the  Second  Division  had  been  able  to 
take  Cerro  Gordo  Hill,  the  two  brigades  of  the  First 
felt  able  to  take  Perote. 

The  road  climbed  and  climbed.  The  horses  of 
the  Duncan  flying  battery  of  the  Second  Artillery, 
and  those  of  the  wagon  train,  had  all  they  could  do, 
even  when  helped  by  men  at  the  wheels.  But  the  day 
was  clear,  and  an  inspiring  sight  that  was  to  look 
before  and  behind,  and  see  the  serried  column  wind- 
ing on,  Captain  Kearny's  Company  K  of  the  First 
157 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

Dragoons  ahead,  General  Worth  and  staff  following; 
the  artillery  afoot,  and  the  infantry  and  their  bands 
trudging  gallantly  after,  and  the  white-topped 
wagons  bringing  up  the  rear. 

"  We're  surely  bound  to  '  see  the  elephant/  as 
the  Volunteers  say,"  uttered  Jerry's  neighbor,  the 
thin  drummer. 

That  evening  when  bivouac  was  made  they  were 
almost  six  thousand  feet  in  air.  The  views  had  been 
marvelous.  Jerry  hastened  to  find  Hannibal,  as 
usual,  for  talk  and  practice.  On  the  way  he  passed 
Lieutenant  Grant,  who  stopped  him  as  he  saluted. 

"  How  do  you  like  your  new  job  by  this  time?  " 

"  First  rate,  sir,  I'll  learn,  the  drum  major  says. 
Haven't  done  so  awfully  bad,  but  of  course  they're 
easy  on  me.  I  don't  know  much  about  the  drills  yet." 

"  I  don't  wonder.  You  were  thrown  right  into 
things  without  previous  instruction  on  that  line." 

"  Yes,  sir.  Do  you  think  we'll  have  a  fight  on 
the  road,  sir?  " 

"  There's  a  chance.  If  the  pass  beyond,  called 
La  Joya,  is  held  in  force  it  may  give  us  a  little 
trouble.  But  we  can  depend  upon  General  Worth, 
you  know." 

"  Guess  so,  sir.    How's  Pompey,  lieutenant?  " 

"Pompey?  That  black  rascal  ?  Oh,  Pompey  lost 
all  his  money  the  first  night  to  those  gambler  camp 
followers,  and  he's  down  to  plain  cooking." 

The  lieutenant  stepped  on;  Jerry  saluted  again 
and  ran  along. 

"La  Joya?  Sure  thing,"  Hannibal  said  "It's 
like  Cerro  Gordo,  and  we're  the  men  to  take  it." 

The  next  day's  march  was  another  stiff  climb. 
158 


IN  THE  WAKE  OF  THE  FLEEING  ENEMY 

Cherry  trees  and  apple  trees  were  giving  place  to 
pines  and  firs.  The  soldiers  puffed  and  complained 
that  their  ears  throbbed.  It  was  slow  work,  toiling 
up  the  long  winding  road.  To-night  there  was 
rain,  which  by  morning  had  hardened  to  a  heavy 
white  frost. 

La  Joya  was  not  far  now.  The  dragoons  recon- 
noitred ahead;  the  gunners  of  the  Duncan  battery 
rode  with  slow  matches  lighted.  Presently  the  road 
was  about  to  skirt  the  base  of  a  round-topped  hill. 
The  hill  looked  as  though  it  had  been  fortified,  but 
when  the  Fourth  marched  by  it  was  seen  that  the 
breastworks  had  been  abandoned. 

Beyond  La  Joya  the  road  continued  through  a 
gorge  two  miles  in  length.  No  guns  were  fired,  no 
rocks  were  rolled,  no  Mexican  flag  was  sighted. 
The  whole  Mexican  army  had  disappeared  as  if 
broken  by  the  defeat  at  Cerro  Gordo.  In  fact,  Gen- 
eral Scott  had  announced  in  his  dispatches :  "  Mexico 
no  longer  has  an  army/'  But  when  camp  was  made 
this  evening,  at  a  deserted  village,  the  men  began  to 
talk  hopefully  of  Perote. 

Perote,  ten  or  twelve  miles  westward  and  down, 
certainly  would  furnish  a  fight.  It  was  a  town  and 
a  mountain  and  a  fort,  or  castle.  Everybody  living 
in  Mexico  knew  of  that  famous  castle,  where  pris- 
oners were  confined  in  dungeons.  And  the  mountain, 
called  the  Chest  of  Perote,  was  the  square  black  peak 
seen  from  Vera  Cruz.  The  town,  upon  a  plain  under 
the  mountain,  had  a  church  with  a  very  tall  tower, 
visible  for  a  great  distance  from  several  directions. 

Jerry  also  banked  on  Perote,  for  he  had  been 
premised  his  uniform  there  if  the  division  stayed  long 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

enough  to  have  it  fitted.  He  needed  the  uniform. 
His  clothes  were  rather  thin  for  use  seven  thousand 
feet  up  in  the  mountains,  and  besides,  what  was  a 
drummer  boy  without  a  uniform?  Luckily  he  had 
gained  a  pair  of  shoes  from  the  spoils  captured  at 
Cerro  Gordo ;  and  at  Perote  he  would  be  full  rigged, 
with  sword,  cap  and  all ;  and  Dick  Sykes,  the  drum- 
mer of  Company  B,  had  agreed  to  exchange  com- 
panies with  him. 

General  Worth  was  in  a  hurry.  He  moved  the 
division  early  in  the  morning.  About  noon  they  saw 
Perote  town,  near  at  hand  on  the  plain;  and  the 
great  castle,  detached  from  it,  guarding  the  road  and 
the  Chest. 

The  column  hastened,  eager  for  action.  The  cas- 
tle remained  grim  and  silent.  General  Worth  sent 
forward  a  staff  officer  to  demand  its  surrender.  The 
Mexican  flag  fluttered  down.  The  staff  officer  re- 
turned. Perote  had  yielded. 

General  Worth  established  his  headquarters  in  the 
town,  but  the  camp  was  ordered  upon  the  plain,  near 
the  castle,  about  a  mile  from  the  town.  Colonel 
Vasquez,  of  the  Mexican  army,  had  been  left  here  by 
General  Santa  Anna  to  turn  the  castle  over  to  the 
Americans — and  that  seemed  odd,  for  it  contained 
fifty- four  cannon  (one  of  which  had  a  bore  of  seven- 
teen inches  across),  eleven  thousand  balls,  fourteen 
thousand  bombs  and  hand  grenades,  and  five  hundred 
muskets.  It  covered  two  acres;  and  when  the  men 
were  permitted  to  inspect  it  they  found  that  the  walls 
were  eight  feet  thick  and  sixty  feet  high,  surrounded 
by  a  moat  fifteen  feet  deep  and  seventy-five  feet  wide. 

Nevertheless,  the  castle  sat  by  itself  on  the  plains ; 
1 60 


IN  THE  WAKE  OF  THE  FLEEING  ENEMY 

and  while  it  might  have  kept  part  of  the  army  back 
to  capture  it,  the  rest  of  the  army  could  have  marched 
on.  General  Santa  Anna  probably  had  his  reasons 
for  abandoning  it;  he  of  course  would  make  a  stand 
somewhere  else. 

During  the  few  days'  camp  at  Perote  Jerry  got 
his  uniform  and  equipment — regulation  cap,  sword 
and  buckles  included — and  felt  privileged  to  strut 
like  a  drummer  boy  indeed.  Swapped  companies 
with  Sykes,  too.  Took  occasion  to  parade  before 
Pompey,  who  scoffed  at  him. 

"  Gwan,  white  boy.  Who  you?  All  stripes  an' 
no  rank,  dat  what  you  be ! " 

The  outfit  had  come  to  him  only  just  in  time.  The 
First  Brigade  was  to  march  on  by  itself  at  once. 
General  Quitman  had  arrived  at  Jalapa  from  Vera 
Cruz ;  the  Second  Brigade  was  to  wait  for  him  and 
his  detachment  of  Volunteers,  while  the  First  Brigade 
pushed  ahead  to  open  the  country  farther. 

It  was  said  that  General  Worth  had  received  in- 
structions from  Old  Fuss  and  Feathers  to  proceed 
and  seize  the  large  city  of  Puebla,  one  hundred  miles 
westward  and  only  ninety  from  the  City  of  Mexico. 
Puebla  had  sixty  thousand  people.  Whether  the 
First  Brigade  was  to  do  this  nobody  in  the  ranks 
knew,  but  the  men  all  were  ready  to  try. 

"If  you  fellows  need  help  send  back  for  us,"  prof- 
fered Hannibal,  whose  regiment,  the  Eighth,  re- 
mained to  help  hold  Perote  and  to  wait  for  the 
Quitman  Mohawks. 

"  We  don't  figure  on  needing  help,  boy,"  Jerry 
retorted.  "  Next  time  I  see  you  .maybe  it'll  be  in  the 
Halls  of  Montezuma." 

II  161 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

The  First  Brigade  set  out  gaily ;  General  Worth 
and  staff ;  Company  A,  engineers,  with  Acting  Cap- 
tain George  W.  Smith,  Lieutenant  J.  C.  Foster  and 
the  sprightly  Lieutenant  McClellan ;  Light  Battery  A 
and  Companies  B,  C,  D,  F,  G,  H,  I  and  K,  Second 
Artillery;  Companies  B,  G  and  K,  Third  Artillery; 
A,  B,  C,  D,  E  and  I,  Fourth  Infantry.  They  marched 
up  the  National  Road  through  fields  of  grain,  around 
the  base  of  dark  Pizarro  Mountain  (a  lone  peak 
higher  than  Perote  Peak),  and  had  covered  eighteen 
miles  when  halt  was  made  for  the  night  at  a  homely 
mud  village. 

The  country  again  grew  better,  displaying  fruit 
orchards  and  green  ranches.  A  fight  was  rather 
expected  at  the  pass  of  El  Final,  where  the  road 
threaded  a  third  narrow  gorge  in  a  range  of  bare, 
granite  hills ;  but  although  rocks  had  been  heaped  in 
readiness  to  be  rolled  down  upon  the  heads  of  any 
enemy,  nobody  was  here  to  roll  them. 

Beyond  El  Pinal  the  road  issued  upon  a  high, 
flat  ridge.  The  column  suddenly  forgot  its  weari- 
ness. Another  stately  view  unfolded.  In  the  west 
there  uplifted  two  splendid  mountains.  The  highest, 
shining  with  snow,  was  the  famous  Popocatepetl,  or 
Smoky  Mountain,  three  miles  high.  The  other,  its 
comrade  on  the  north  of  it,  was — well,  a  jaw-breaker : 
Iztaccihuatl.  It,  too,  was  a  famous  peak.  The 
two  of  them  overlooked  the  City  of  Mexico. 

And  between  the  flat  ridge  and  the  range  of  the 

two  peaks  there  lay  the  beautiful  green  valley  of 

Puebla,  dotted  with  the  white-walled  country-houses 

of  wealthy  ranchers ;  and  in  the  midst  of  the  valley, 

162 


IN  THE  WAKE  OF  THE  FLEEING  ENEMY 

the  roofs  and  spires  of  Puebla  itself,  twelve  miles 
distant  from  the  ridge. 

So  the  column  quick-stepped  manfully,  and  with 
the  fifes  and  drums  pealing  descended  to  the  pretty 
town  of  Amozoc,  ten  miles  from  the  city  of  Puebla. 

Amozoc  proved  to  be  a  pleasant  surprise.  That 
had  been  a  long  and  hard  march  from  Perote :  'with 
the  days  warm  and  showery,  and  the  nights  cold  and 
frosty,  and  the  men  sleeping  on  the  ground  in  the 
dirt,  without  tents,  and  trudging  by  day  through 
mud  and  dust  both.  But  here  at  Amozoc,  the  alcalde 
or  mayor  met  General  Worth  on  the  outskirts  of  the 
town  and  invited  him  in,  and  when  the  column  en- 
tered the  women  came  running  from  their  adobe 
houses,  bringing  fruit  and  pitchers  of  cold  water. 

"  They  call  Puebla  the  City  of  the  Angels,  do 
they  ?  Faith,  what's  the  matter  with  Amozoc  ?  Here 
be  rale  angels." 

"  The  first  white  women  we've  seen  since  Jalapy." 

"  Bless  their  purty  faces  an'  black  eyes." 

Such  were  the  comments  by  the  ranks  behind  the 
Fourth  Infantry  music. 

An  aide  came  galloping  back  to  Colonel  Garland. 

"  The  general's  compliments,  colonel,  and  he 
directs  that  you  quarter  your  infantry  battalion  in 
the  town  corral,  near  the  plaza.  I  will  show  you." 

Presently  the  Fourth  had  stacked  arms  in 
the  corral. 


XII 

AN  INTERRUPTED  TOILET 

THE  orders  were  to  clean  up,  as  if  for  inspection 
and  parade.  General  Worth  was  sending  word  for- 
ward to  the  city  council  of  Puebla,  giving  notice 
that  he  intended  to  occupy  the  city  at  once.  Evi- 
dently he  wished  to  march  in  in  style  to  make  a 
showing,  for  Puebla  was  the  second  largest  city 
in  Mexico. 

Jerry  played  in  luck.  He  had  kept  his  new  uni*- 
form  in  the  best  of  shape.  It  would  get  shabby 
soon  enough,  like  the  other  uniforms.  His  drum 
shone.  So  he  was  done  with  his  prinking  early. 
The  men  generally  were  taking  their  time,  to  rest  and 
munch  fruit.  When  he  asked  permission  to  go  for 
a  stroll,  Drum  Major  Brown  said,  having  eyed  him 
and  seen  nothing  wrong : 

"  All  right.     Report  in  thirty  minutes/' 
Tommy  Jones,  another  smart  drummer  boy,  from 
Company  I,  joined  him. 

"  What  you  lugging  your  drum  for,  Jerry?  " 
"  So  nobody'll  spatter  mud  on  it,  of  course." 
"  You're  a  greenie  yet,"  Tom  asserted.    "  When 
you've  carried  a  drum  as  long  as  I  have  you'll  be 
mighty  glad  to  drop  it." 

"  Well,  I  sha'n't  leave  it,  just  the  same.  Some 
of  those  fellows  would  put  up  a  job  on  me  to  see  how 
much  I'll  stand." 

Jerry  continued,  with  his  precious  drum.     The 
mud-fenced  corral  was  an  odd  sight  as  he  and  Tom 
164 


AN  INTERRUPTED  TOILET 

hastened  through  to  the  gate.  The  men  finally  had 
settled  to  work.  They  were  in  all  stages  of  undress : 
some  of  them  were  washing  their  faces  and  handker- 
chiefs and  shirts  at  the  watering  troughs,  some  were 
shaving,  some  were  sitting  and  polishing  their  jacket 
buttons  with  their  "  buff  sticks/'  which  held  each  but- 
ton in  a  slot  while  rag  and  powder  were  used ;  some 
were  shining  their  buckles,  or  whitening  their  cross- 
belts  with  soap-stone,  or  cleaning  their  shoes;  and 
a  number  had  their  muskets  apart  and  were  scouring 
the  rust  and  dirt  from  locks,  barrels  and  bayonets. 

Pompey  was  hard  at  it  on  the  outfits  of  Lieuten- 
ant Smith  and  Lieutenant  Grant. 

"  Where  you  gwine,  stripes?"  he  demanded. 
"  'Peahs  laike  you  drummers  ain't  got  nothin'  to  do. 
I  shuah'd  laike  to  jine  the  music.  Jest  tootle  an' 
thumpity-thump  while  we-all  work.  Where  you 
gwine  now,  so  impertinent?  Mebbe  Santy  Anne 
done  sent  fo'  you  to  s' render.*' 

"  Mind  you  shine  those  buttons  or  you'll  get  a 
whaling,"  Jerry  answered.  "  I'll  be  back  to  inspect." 

"  You  go  'long,  stripes,"  growled  Pompey.  "  I 
ain't  no  sojer.  I'se  with  the  offercers.  Who  you,  to 
be  so  uppity  ?  All  stripes  an'  no  rank ;  that  you !  " 

With  Tom,  Jerry  hurried  out. 

"  Pobrecitos !  Aqui,  pobrecitos — here,  poor 
little  boys,"  the  kind-hearted  women  greeted,  inviting 
them  to  eat.  But  they  had  no  time  for  that  if  they 
wished  to  see  the  town. 

Somehow,  the  people  of  Amozoc  were  overcor- 
dial  to  an  enemy.  The  North  Americans  were  in- 
vading their  country — at  Cerro  Gordo  probably  had 
killed  Volunteers  from  this  very  place;  and  yet  the 
165 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

citizens  smiled  and  bowed  as  if  to  friends.  It  struck 
Jerry  as  a  game;  he  couldn't  put  much  stock  in  all 
that  palaver.  He  remembered  the  two  Manuels. 

The  town  was  not  anything  great  to  look  at.  It 
manufactured  saddles  and  fine  inlaid  spurs,  and  the 
best  building  was  the  principal  church.  The  church 
sat  inside  a  fenced  yard  shaded  by  immense  yew 
trees  covered  with  crimson-flowering  vines — very 
curious.  Two  or  three  officers  were  gazing  about 
and  talking  with  the  priests.  The  doors  were  open. 
Taking  off  his  cap  Jerry  sidled  in;  Tom  followed. 

"  Dare  you  to  climb  that,"  Tom  challenged. 

It  was  a  ladder,  seen  through  the  doorway  of  a 
closet  in  one  corner,  and  extending  almost  straight  up 
into  the  belfry. 

"  Never  take  a  dare    You  watch  me,"  said  Jerry. 

"I'll  hold  your  drum." 

"  No,  you  won't !  " 

Lugging  the  drum  slung  behind  him,  Jerry  was 
out  of  breath  when  he  emerged  into  the  dusty  belfry, 
beside  the  great  copper  bell.  But  he  was  glad  that 
he  had  come.  What  a  view !  He  could  see  the  road, 
in  the  east,  connecting  with  the  plateau  that  they 
had  crossed  from  El  Final;  he  could  see  the  top 
of  Pizarro  Peak  at  Perote ;  and  he  didn't  know  but 
that  he  could  see  the  dust  of  the  Second  Brigade 
and  the  Quitman  Mohawks  coming  on  one  day's 
march  late. 

He  crept  around  the  bell,  and  could  see  the  brigade 
camp  below.  The  men,  like  specks,  were  washing 
up  and  mending  clothes  and  whitening  belts  in  the 
corral  and  in  the  plaza  where  the  artillery  companies 
had  been  quartered.  He  could  see  the  specks  of 
166 


AN  INTERRUPTED  TOILET 

pickets,  posted  at  the  edge  of  town.  There  in  the 
west  were  snowy  Popocatepetl  and  Iztaccihautl,  sen- 
tinels over  the  Halls  of  Montezuma.  And  there,  on 
this  side  of  them,  was  the  city  of  Puebla  of  the 
Angels,  sparkling  in  the  afternoon  sun. 

Then,  as  his  eyes  traveled,  they  lighted  upon  a 
real  dust  cloud,  slightly  in  the  north,  between  Amozoc 
and  Puebla. 

The  cloud  was  advancing;  yes,  and  rapidly. 
Whew!  Cavalry,  sure  as  shooting.  Mexican  lan- 
cers! No  other  horsemen  could  be  expected  from 
that  direction,  not  in  such  a  mass.  The  outpost 
guards  had  not  seen  them  yet. 

Like  lightning  Jerry  twitched  his  drumsticks  from 
his  belt,  jerked  his  drum  to  the  fore,  and  beat  the 
long  roll  R-r-r-r-r-r-r!  R-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r ! 
And  R-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r!  The  stun- 
ning noise  in  the  hollow  belfry  deafened  him.  It 
must  have  fallen  like  a  thunder  clap  upon  the  ears 
of  the  camp.  As  he  plied  the  drumsticks  with  his  two 
hands  he  saw  that  the  grouped  specks  had  frozen 
stone  still,  as  if  staring  about  to  locate  the  alarm. 

He  didn't  delay.  Down  he  slid,  down  the 
ladder,  never  caring  how  he  landed — and  he  landed 
plump  into  somebody's  arms.  They  were  Lieu- 
tenant McClellan's. 

"  You  young  rascal !  What's  the  meaning  of  this 
racket  ?  Who  authorized  you  to ?  " 

"The  enemy,  sir!"  Jerry  panted,  not  waiting. 
"  They're  coming." 

"  How  do  you  know?  " 

"  I  saw  their  dust " 

"Where?" 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

"  Between  here  and  Puebla* — about  five  miles  out 
— lancers,  sir." 

Away  ran  Lieutenant  McClellan. 

"Golly!"  blurted  Tom,  who  had  been  listening 
with  his  mouth  open.  He,  too,  ran,  and  Jerry  after. 
They  got  to  the  corral  just  in  time.  All  the  town 
had  seemed  to  be  excited,  the  pickets  were  firing 
alarm  shots,  the  long  rolls  were  beating  for  artillery 
and  infantry,  officers  and  men  were  hustling,  and  in 
the  corral  the  Fourth  Infantry  was  falling  in,  helter 
skelter,  the  soldiers  wrestling  into  their  trousers  and 
jackets  and  shoes,  buckling  on  their  belts  and  car- 
tridge boxes,  seizing  their  muskets. 

An  aide  spurred  through  the  corral  gate. 

"  Colonel  Garland !  Oh,  Colonel  Garland !  The 
general  directs  that  you  take  four  companies  of  the 
Fourth,  unite  with  the  Second  Artillery,  and  com- 
manding in  person,  march  out  upon  the  Puebla 
road  until  in  touch  with  the  enemy  or  he  has 
been  dispersed." 

Captain  Nichols,  the  adjutant,  rapidly  called  the 
companies:  A,  B,  E.  I.  Company  B  was  into  it! 
Jerry  sprang  to  his  place.  Drummer  and  fifer  stuck 
to  their  company  on  detached  duty  like. this. 

"Company  B,  by  the  right  flank!  Right  face! 
Company,  forward — march !  "  Captain  Gore  bawled. 

In  double  file  (two  ranks  formation)  Company  A 
marched  out  through  the  corral  gate. 

"  By  platoon,  into  line!  Quick — march!  Guide 
right." 

The  other  companies  were  close  before  and  be- 
hind. The  Second  Artillery,  serving  as  infantry, 
was  double-quicking  from  the  plaza,  under  Major 


AN  INTERRUPTED  TOILET 

Gait.  Two  guns  of  Colonel  Duncan's  battery  issued 
at  a  gallop.  In  the  plaza  the  remaining  two  cannon 
were  being  hauled  at  top  speed  to  opposite  corners  to 
face  the  streets. 

At  quick  step  the  Colonel  Garland  detachment, 
with  the  guns  trundling  at  the  rear,  headed  for  the 
Puebla  road.  And  a  funny  spectacle  the  detachment 
made:  loose  shoes  flopping,  jackets  askew  and  half 
buttoned,  belts  dangling,  caps  wrong  side  before, 
muskets  not  all  put  together  yet,  and  many  of  the 
men  only  partly  washed  and  shaved. 

The  cloud  of  dust  was  plain  and  much  nearer. 
The  Mexicans  appeared  to  be  swinging  around, 
northward,  as  if  bent  upon  cutting  the  road  east  of 
Amozoc.  They  could  be  seen  easily :  a  great  column 
of  lancers — looked  to  be  two  or  three  thousand,  all 
at  a  trot,  their  yellow  cloaks  streaming,  their  red 
jackets  glimmering,  their  lance  points,  muskatoons 
and  trappings  flashing. 

"  Form  company !    First  platoon,  right  oblique !  " 

Then — 

"  Company,  right  turn — double  quick — march!  " 

The  detachment  was  marching  straight  for  the 
lancers ;  down  came  the  lancers,  massing  for  a  charge. 

"  Column — halt!  "  Adjutant  Nichols  shouted. 

"  Form  square — right  and  left  into  line — quick 
march — wheel !  " 

With  rumble  and  thud  and  cheer  the  two  guns  of 
Flying  Battery  A  dashed  to  the  fore.  They  were 
unlimbered  and  turned  in  a  jiffy.  The  gunners 
waved  their  slow  matches,  or  linstocks,  to  brighten 
the  spark.  The  cannon  were  lined  and  pointed — an 
instant  more  and  with  a  gush  and  a  boom  a  solid  shot 
169 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

had  whistled  toward  the  gay  lancers.  Another — 
and  another.  Whish!  That  was  grape,  and  the 
lancers  scattered.  One  more  dose  of  the  murderous 
grape  and  they  had  whirled,  every  man — they  were 
scouring  like  mad  back  for  Puebla,  a  general  (by  his 
epaulets)  striving  in  vain  to  rally  them.  He  was 
carried  along  with  the  rest. 

"  Santa  Anna !  There  goes  Santa  Anna !  " 

It  was  only  a  guess,  but  it  proved  true.  Later 
news  said  that  General  Santa  Anna  himself  had  gath- 
ered cavalry,  infantry  and  artillery  at  Puebla,  in 
order  to  stop  the  American  advance ;  he  had  left  the 
infantry  and  artillery  there,  while  with  the  lancers 
he  rode  to  cut  off  General  Worth's  Second  Brigade 
from  the  First  Brigade.  In  El  Final  Pass,  for  in- 
stance, he  might  have  done  the  job  nicely.  But  he 
had  chosen  the  wrong  time.  A  "  rascal  "  of  a  drum- 
mer boy  had  seen  him  from  the  church  steeple. 

After  all  it  was  not  much  of  a  brush.  Colonel 
Garland  took  his  column  into  Amozoc  again  and  arms 
were  stacked;  but  the  day  was  drawing  to  a  close 
and  there  was  no  more  prinking.  The  camp  had  to 
keep  on  the  alert,  with  strong  guards  out,  for  the 
Mexicans  might  be  up  to  more  tricks. 

In  consequence  of  being  half  dirty  and  half  clean 
the  men  really  looked  worse  than  ever. 

General  Worth  waited  for  the  Colonel  Clarke 
brigade  and  the  Quitman  Volunteers  to  join  him. 
They  arrived  the  next  morning.  General  Quitman 
brought  only  two  regiments,  the  New  Yorkers  and 
Second  Pennsylvanians.  The  First  Pennsylvania 
(Colonel  Wynkoop's  "  Dutch  "  regiment)  had  been 
left  at  Perote.  As  for  the  other  Mohawks — 
170 


AN  INTERRUPTED  TOILET 

"  Did  you  know  that  Old  Fuss  and  Feathers 
hasn't  more  than  six  thousand  men  all  told  ?  "  Hanni- 
bal demanded,  after  first  greetings. 

"No!" 

"  That's  right.  We've  lost  five  thousand  Mo- 
hawks since  you  left  Perote.  Got  only  the  First  and 
Second  Pennsylvania,  the  Palmettos  and  the  New 
Yorkers.  The  others  were  twelve-months  men  and 
their  time  is  out  soon.  The  Alabamans  and  Geor- 
gians are  still  at  Vera  Cruz ;  and  at  Jalapa  General 
Scott  let  the  Third  and  Fourth  Illinois  and  the  Ten- 
nesseeans  and  Kentuckians  go.  They  said  they'd  stay 
till  the  last  day,  but  then  they  wouldn't  re-enlist ;  they 
wanted  to  get  home.  So  he  thought  they'd  better 
start  right  away,  before  the  yellow  fever  got  bad  at 
Vera  Cruz.  We're  garrisoning  Jalapa  and  Perote, 
and  that's  all.  Have  a  big  sick  list  and  a  lot  of 
desertions,  too,  but  not  as  many  as  in  Texas  and 
northeast  Mexico.  Up  there  the  Mexicans  kept  toll- 
ing the  men  over  by  promising  high  pay  and  officers' 
jobs.  Some  of  'em  are  fighting  under  Santa  Anna 
now,  I  bet,  because  they're  afraid  to  come  back.  If 
they're  captured  they'll  be  shot  or  hanged." 

"  Where's  General  Scott?  " 

"  He's  coming  from  Jalapa  with  the  Second  Divi- 
sion. General  Pillow's  gone  to  Vera  Cruz  to  look 
after  reinforcements,  and  General  Patterson  has  gone 
home  because  he  hasn't  men  enough  for  a  division.  I 
suppose  Quitman  or  Pillow  will  command  the  Mo- 
hawks now.  So  you  fellows  didn't  have  much  of 
brush  with  those  lancers,  you  say?  " 

"No.    They  ran  off." 

"  Well,  you  did  your  best,  boy.    You  gave  the 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

alarm.  I  guess  those  smart  officers  will  quit  calling 
us  '  rascally  drummer  boys/  Anyhow,  hope  we 
beat  the  Second  Division  into  Puebla.  There's  no  use 
in  this  whole  division  sitting  here,  only  ten  miles  out. 
We  don't  need  the  Second." 

The  restless  General  Worth  decided  the  same 
thing.  The  scouts  who  reconnoitred  reported  that 
all  Santa  Anna's  forces  in  Puebla  had  vanished  on 
the  road  to  the  City  of  Mexico ;  the  mayor  of  Puebla 
sent  the  same  word.  Before  noon  the  First  Division 
and  the  Quitman  two  regiments  of  Mohawks 
marched  for  Puebla.  The  day  was  May  15. 

A  short  distance  out  of  Puebla  the  mayor  and  city 
council  met  General  Worth  to  escort  him  in.  There 
was  to  be  no  fight.  The  road  changed  to  a  magnifi- 
cent paved  highway  leading  between  pillars  of  shining 
stone  like  colored  marble.  - 

"  Close  order — march !  " 

Those  were  the  company  orders.  The  ranks 
closed  up  and  the  men  took  to  the  cadenced  step, 
all  feet  moving  to  the  taps  of  the  drums. 

"  Column,  close  in  mass — quick — march  1" 

Each  company  closed  in  upon  the  company  be- 
fore, so  that  there  was  a  solid  column  of  platoons, 
every  musket  at  a  right  shoulder  shift,  every  foot 
planted  in  unison  with  the  other  feet. 

"Guide— right!" 

This  did  not  prevent  the  men  from  glancing  aside, 
as  they  marched  shoulder  to  shoulder.  The  tune  for 
the  fifes  and  drums  was  Yankee  Doodle  but  the  regi- 
mental bands  played  Washington's  March. 

The  paved  road  led  through  a  broad  gateway  in 
the  city  wall.  The  top  of  the  wall  had  been  crowded 
172 


AN 'INTERRUPTED  TOILET 

with  Pueblans,  and  now  the  streets  were  lined  with 
more,  and  the  balconies  of  the  buildings  were  fringed 
with  men  and  women  gaily  dressed,  peering  over  to 
see  the  North  Americans.  The  women  waved  their 
handkerchiefs  and  fans,  the  men  flashed  white  teeth 
while  they  puffed  their  cigarettes  and  made  remarks. 

It  was  a  pity  that  the  toilet  at  Amozoc  had  been 
interrupted.  Many  of  the  muskets  were  still  stained 
from  the  battle  of  Cerro  Gordo  and  the  rains ;  some  of 
the  rank  and  file  had  not  had  time  to  shave.  Uni- 
forms were  dingy,  belts  half  whitened  or  whitened 
not  at  all,  the  buttons  and  buckles  and  the  band  instru- 
ments were  tarnished.  Yes,  and  faces  were  not 
especially  clean,  for  the  grime  of  the  marches  through 
dust  and  mud  was  deep.  Besides,  a  number  of  the 
soldiers  had  been  ill. 

It  was  evident  that  the  Pueblans  were  disap- 
pointed. They  had  expected  to  see  glitter  and  show 
as  in  their  own  troops,  instead  of  this  collection  of 
thin,  long-haired,  shabbily  clad  troops  marching 
under  rain-stained,  wind-torn  flags. 

But  no  troops  in  the  world  could  have  marched 
with  better  discipline.  This  was  a  veteran  division, 
even  the  Mohawks.  Those  holes  in  the  flags  were 
bullet  holes,  the  stains  were  powder  stains.  Cerro 
Gordo  was  behind,  so  was  Perote,  here  was  Puebla, 
and  the  next  entry  would  be  that  into  the  City 
of  Mexico. 

Halt  was  made  in  the  large  plaza,  in  the  very 
center  of  the  city,  bordered  on  one  side  by  the  great 
palace  or  governor's  house,  six  hundred  feet  long, 
and  on  another  by  the  cathedral,  covering  a  block. 
The  Pueblans  surrounded  the  plaza  in  dense  ranks, 
173 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

staring  and  commenting.  General  Worth  showed 
not  the  slightest  hesitation.  The  division  stacked 
arms  here,  cannon  were  placed  at  the  corners,  guards 
were  posted,  and  the  companies  dismissed.  It  was  a 
pleasant  spot.  The  men  comfortably  stretched  out. 
They  were  only  three  thousand  Americans  in  the 
midst  of  sixty  thousand  Mexicans,  with  the  whole 
Mexican  army  somewhere  about ;  but  in  a  few  min- 
utes two- thirds  of  them  were  sound  asleep. 


XIII 

GETTING  READY  AT  PUEBLA 

"  THE  '  old  man  '  's  coming !  " 

It  was  now  May  27.  The  First  Division  and  the 
Quitman  Volunteers  had  been  holding  Puebla  for 
more  than  a  week  and  a  half.  There  had  been  alarms. 
One  day  all  the  troops  had  stood  under  arms,  from 
morning  until  night,  with  guns  loaded  and  with  three 
days'  rations  in  their  haversacks,  expecting  an  attack 
by  Santa  Anna;  but  Santa  Anna  had  not  appeared. 
General  Worth  seemed  nervous — and  little  wonder. 

Word  had  arrived  at  last  from  General  Scott 
that  he  would  be  here  to-morrow  at  noon.  This  was 
his  custom :  to  send  a  warning  ahead  whenever  he 
rode  up  the  line,  so  that  the  regiments  might  be  ready 
to  turn  out  and  receive  him  in  proper  style. 

The  Eighth  Regiment  (General  Worth's  "own") 
was  selected  to  do  the  honors.  This  peeved  Hanni- 
bal, but  it  let  Jerry  and  the  Fourth  out  to  see  things 
as  they  occurred.  Luckily,  the  Fourth  was  quartered 
near  the  east  gateway  of  the  National  Road  from 
Vera  Cruz  and  Jalapa,  and  a  fellow  could  climb  the 
wall  here  and  look  right  down  upon  the  road. 

First,  about  half -past  eleven,  General  Worth  and 
General  Quitman  with  their  staffs,  a-glitter  in  their 
full-dress  uniforms  of  blue  cloth  and  gold  trappings, 
white  plumes  floating  from  their  chapeaus,  went 
trotting  to  meet  the  chief. 

All  came  back  together :  General  Scott,  tall  and 
massive,  upon  his  prancing  horse,  in  full  uniform 
175 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

complete  from  his  plume  to  his  shining  boots ;  Gen- 
eral Worth  on  his  right,  General  Quitman  on  his  left, 
the  staffs  following;  Captain  Phil  Kearny's  com- 
pany of  the  First  Dragoons  and  a  detachment  of  the 
Second  Dragoons  in  column  of  fours  as  escort.  With 
only  these  two  hundred  and  fifty  dragoons  General 
Scott  had  ridden  ahead  of  the  Twiggs  division,  clear 
from  La  Joya,  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles. 

The  soldiers  upon  the  wall  at  either  side  of  the 
gate  gave  Fuss  and  Feathers  a  rousing  cheer.  That 
pleased  him.  He  took  off  his  chapeau  and  bowed 
right  and  left  to  his  "  boys." 

Commander-in-chief's  headquarters  were  to  be  at 
the  palace  on  the  plaza.  On  the  way  to  it  there  was 
a  square  of  trees,  the  Alameda.  The  Eighth  Infantry 
had  been  drawn  up  on  parade,  in  two  ranks,  in 
front  of  the  church  San  Jose,  opposite  the  Ala- 
meda. Colonel  Clarke  himself,  of  the  Second 
Brigade,  commanded. 

"  Present — arms ! " 

The  drums  beat  a  roll,  every  musket  came  to  a 
rigid  present,  every  sword  to  a  salute,  the  colors 
dipped,  and  General  Scott,  looking  like  the  old  hero 
that  he  was,  rode  proudly  along  the  line,  his  hand  at 
his  hat,  his  eyes  a  little  misty.  The  regimental  band 
played  "  Hail  to  the  Chief/' 

The  Second  Division  of  Regulars  did  not  get  in 
for  a  couple  of  days.  General  Childs,  of  the  Third 
Artillery,  had  been  left  at  Jalapa  with  about  one  thou- 
sand men,  mainly  Regulars  of  all  the  arms.  Colonel 
Wynkoop  and  most  of  his  First  Pennsylvanians 
were  still  at  Perote.  Having  only  five  thousand  eight 
176 


GETTING  READY  AT  PUEBLA 

hundred  active  troops,  General  Scott  was  obliged  to 
mark  time  at  Puebla  while  awaiting  reinforcements. 

This  was  hard,  for  it  gave  General  Santa  Anna 
plenty  of  leisure  in  which  to  gather  another  army 
and  complete  his  fortifications.  And  while  Puebla 
was  a  pleasant  place,  there  seemed  to  be  a  discourag- 
ing amount  of  sickness  caused  by  the  fruits  and  the 
water.  One- fourth  of  the  soldiers  were  in  the  hos- 
pital and  many  died. 

The  well  were  kept  busy,  for  General  Scott  be- 
lieved in  exercise  and  drill.  The  army  had  its  first 
opportunity  since  leaving  Vera  Cruz  to  drill  together. 
Every  day  one  or  another  of  the  brigades  was 
manoeuvred  out  upon  the  Puebla  military  drill 
grounds  near  the  city  walls ;  and  three  times  a  week 
there  was  a  full  division  review,  under  the  eyes  of  the 
commander-in-chief. 

The  Pueblans  always  crowded  to  witness  the 
drills,  and  after  watching  they  were  free  to  admit 
that  the  Americans  knew  how  to  soldier. 

It  was  no  slouch  of  a  job  to  be  a  drummer,  as 
Jerry  found  out  all  over  again.  He  himself  had  a  lot 
to  learn,  if  he  would  obey  the  drum  major's  signals 
made  with  the  tasseled  staff.  The  drummer's  especial 
drill,  for  instance :  Put  up — drumsticks !  Unsling — 
drums  1  Ground — drums !  Take  up— drums !  Sus- 
pend— drums !  Draw  out—drumsticks !  The  march- 
ing signals :  By  the  right  flank,  by  the  left  flank,  wheel 
to  change  direction,  right  oblique,  left  oblique,  and 
so  forth.  The  beats :  The  marching  taps,  ninety  steps 
to  the  minute ;  the  flam,  or  double  beat,  in  pairs,  at 
one  hundred  and  ten  steps  to  the  minute,  used  in 
the  evening  retreat;  the  rolls,  eighty  beats  to  the 
12  177 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

minute  for  the  troop  call,  and  one  hundred  and  ten 
to  the  minute  for  quick  time  and  the  salutes;  the 
drag,  one  hundred  and  forty  beats  to  the  minute, 
for  double-quick  time,  and  the  long  roll,  in  sections  as 
fast  as  one  could  work  the  drumsticks,  for  alarms. 

Then  there  were  the  many  calls :  The  general,  for 
the  whole  camp  to  prepare  to  break  up ;  the  assembly, 
for  the  companies  to  fall  in ;  to  the  color,  for  the  com- 
panies to  form  regiments ;  the  reveille,  or  first  call,  in 
the  early  morning,  to  wake  the  camp  up ;  the  tattoo,  or 
last  call,  in  the  evening,  to  send  the  camp  to  bed; 
the  drummers'  call,  or  musicians'  call;  come  for 
orders,  and  the  call  to  the  sergeants  or  corporals; 
the  retreat  call,  for  evening  parade ;  and  in  the  field 
the  halt,  the  recall,  the  march  in  retreat,  the  run  or 
charge,  and  the  commence  firing. 

A  drummer  boy  had  to  have  a  good  ear  and  lots 
of  constant  practice  to  do  all  these  things,  with 
the  drum  major  or  some  of  the  veteran  drum- 
mers criticizing. 

There  were  one  drummer  and  one  fifer  in  each 
company  of  infantry  and  artillery,  although  the  bat- 
tery sections  usually  had  a  bugler.  The  dragoons 
had  trumpeters.  Drummers  and  fifers  of  each  regi- 
ment formed  the  field  music  and  marched  with  the 
band,  when  the  regiment  had  a  band.  The  Fourth 
did  not  have  a  band,  which  was  lucky.  The  Eighth 
had  theirs,  and  Hannibal  claimed  that  it  was  a  nuis- 
ance, always  getting  in  the  way  of  the  field  music. 

The  music  was  under  the  drum  major.     He  acted 

as  first  sergeant  and  received  his  orders  from  the 

regimental  adjutant.     He  called  the  roll  at  music 

assembly,  gave  the  signals  with  his  staff,  and  saw 

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GETTING  READY  AT  PUEBLA 

that  the  musicians  knew*  how  to  play.  If  there  was 
any  instrument,  from  the  drum  even  to  the  horn, 
that  "  Old  Brown/'  the  drum  major  of  the  Fourth, 
could  not  play,  nobody  had  yet  discovered  it. 

In  regimental  camp  and  manoeuvres  all  the  com- 
pany drummers  and  fifers  generally  played  and 
marched  together — say  ten  drummers  and  ten  fifers. 
They  assembled  at  the  guard  house  for  reveille,  and 
beating  and  tooting  paraded  around  through  the 
camp,  paying  especial  attention  to  the  officers'  quar- 
ters! The  regimental  calls  were  preceded  by  the 
regimental  march  to  draw  attention,  in  case  that 
more  than  the  one  regiment  was  present.  When 
marching  in  column,  the  field  music  was  at  the  head 
of  the  regiment,  the  drummers  behind  the  fifers. 
But  the  drummer  and  fifer  of  each  company  messed 
and  camped  with  the  company,  and  stayed  with  it 
when  it  was  detached. 

The  drummers  served  each  in  turn  at  being  posted 
at  the  guard  house  to  march  with  the  guard  on  tour 
and  relief  and  to  sound  any  signal  that  might  be 
required.  The  drummers,  too,  were  used  as  markers 
in  the  drills  to  indicate  where  the  lines  were  to  be 
formed  and  dressed;  and  might  be  summoned  for 
orderlies  or  messengers. 

In  fact,  a  drummer  was  an  important  personage. 
The  drummer  boys  got  the  pay  and  rations  of  a  pri- 
vate; wore  a  better  uniform  and  a  short  sword. 

But  not  all  the  drummers  were  boys.    There  was 

a  sprinkling  of  boys  and  a  sprinkling  of  grown  men; 

and  when  the  field  music  had  formed  it  made  rather  a 

funny  sight  with  a  six-foot  lath  like  Bill  Sykes  in  the 

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INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

same  short  rank  with  a  dumpy,  strutty  little  "  rascal " 
like  young  Tommy  Jones,  aged  only  fourteen. 

The  fifers  were  mainly  men.  Jerry's  partner, 
Fifer  O'Toole,  outreached  him  by  a  foot. 

At  rest  intervals  the  troops  were  now  given 
chances  to  see  the  city  and  nearby  country.  Puebla 
far  surpassed  Vera  Cruz.  The  saying  ran :  "  Puebla 
is  the  first  heaven,  Mexico  (the  City  of  Mexico)  is 
the  second."  The  paved  streets  were  many  and 
broad,  flanked  by  splendid  stone  buildings  and  tra- 
versed by  the  rattling  coaches  of  the  wealthy.  There 
were  one  hundred  churches,  and  innumerable  fine 
stores;  the  markets  teemed  with  fruits  and  vege- 
tables. The  houses  were  thrown  open  to  the  officers 
and  men ;  General  Worth  had  started  in  by  not  inter- 
fering with  the  city  government  as  long  as  it  did 
not  interfere  with  him;  General  Scott  continued  the 
system.  He  permitted  the  city  watchmen  to  patrol 
with  their  arms  as  before,  so  that  at  night  there  were 
two  sets  of  guards. 

The  Mexican  watchmen  would  chant : 

"  Ave  Maria !  Son  las  doce  de  la  noche,  y 
sereno,"  which  meant:  "Hail,  Mary!  It  is  eleven 
o'clock  and  quiet." 

While  the  American  sentries  growled : 

"  Post  Number  One  (or  Two,  or  Three).  All's 
well." 

Six  miles  out  from  the  city  were  the  ruins  of  the 
ancient  Aztec  Indian  town  of  Cholula,  with  a  pyra- 
mid of  clay  and  stone  blocks  two  hundred  feet  high, 
mounted  by  one  hundred  and  forty  steps.  When 
Cortez,  the  conquerer,  came  through  here  in  1520 
the  pyramid  was  used  for  human  sacrifices,  and  the 
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GETTING  READY  AT  PUEBLA 

never-dying  fire  to  the  Aztec  gods  was  kept  alive  on 
top  by  the  priests.  But  Cortez  destroyed  the  city  and 
killed  six  thousand  of  the  people.  Now  there  was 
no  city,  and  no  fire,  and  on  top  of  the  pyramid  a 
church  had  been  erected. 

This  was  such  a  historic  place  that  the  troops  were 
marched  out  to  it,  a  brigade  at  a  time,  for  an  excur- 
sion. The  Fourth  Infantry  with  the  First  Brigade 
of  the  First  Division,  under  General  Worth  and 
Colonel  Garland,  made  the  trip,  one  clear  day,  when 
old  Popocatepetl  and  Iztaccihuatl  seemed  to  be  within 
musket  shot  instead  of  seventy-five  miles  away.  Be- 
yond those  two  mountains  lay  the  City  of  Mexico, 
the  goal. 

"  We  are  the  ones  to  get  there,"  thought  Jerry. 
The  Regulars  themselves  were  no  discouraging  sight 
— fifteen  hundred  well-trained  soldiers  marching  at 
ease,  bearing  their  veteran  flags;  the  artillery  offi- 
cers brilliant  in  red  trappings,  the  infantry  marked 
by  white,  and  the  general  staff  gold-braided  and 
gold-epauletted. 

To  be  sure,  whenever  the  troops  started  for  any- 
where spies  in  Puebla  immediately  galloped  into  the 
country  to  carry  the  news  to  Mexican  lancers.  But 
who  feared  the  lancers  ? 

General  Scott  came  from  behind.  He  and  his 
staff  swept  along  the  column  of  platoons,  and  slack- 
ened to  ride  abreast  half  way. 

The  officers  there  had  been  discussing  the  scenery. 
Some  gave  the  palm  to  glistening  Popocatepetl,  some 
to  Iztaccihuatl,  some  to  the  red-roofed  city,  some 
to  the  fields  of  green,  and  some  to  the  great  pyramid 
surmounted  by  the  church.  But  General  Scott  said, 
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INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

in  his  loud  voice,  so  that  the  drummers  and  fifers 
of  the  Fourth  heard  plainly: 

"  Gentlemen,  I  differ  with  you  all.  My  greatest 
delight  is  in  this  fine  body  of  troops,  without  whom 
we  can  never  sleep  in  the  Halls  of  Montezuma,  or  in 
our  own  homes  again." 

The  speech  traveled  up  and  down  the  column  and 
everybody  cheered.  Old  Fuss  and  Feathers  certainly 
appreciated  good  soldiers. 

It  had 'been  hoped  that  the  army  would  "  sleep  in 
the  Halls  of  Montezuma  "  on  July  4.  But  although 
plenty  of  provisions  had  been  collected  the  reinforce- 
ments were  still  slow.  So  the  Fourth  of  July  was 
passed  at  Puebla,  with  celebrations  by  the  rank  and 
file,  and  in  the  evening  a  grand  reception  by  General 
Scott  at  the  palace  for  officers  and  townspeople. 

Then,  on  July  8,  General  Pillow,  who  had  been 
promoted  to  a  major-generalcy  in  the  Regulars, 
arrived  from  Vera  Cruz  with  forty-five  hundred  men, 
under  Colonel  Mclntosh  of  the  Fifth  Infantry  and 
General  George  Cadwalader,  a  new  brigadier,  of 
Pennsylvania.  They  had  started  in  three  detach- 
ments and  had  had  several  skirmishes  with  guerillas 
on  the  way ;  had  lost  fifty  men  in  killed  and  wounded, 
and  a  great  deal  of  baggage. 

They  brought  up  the  Palmettos,  the  Mounted 
Rifles,  some  of  the  Second  and  new  Third  Dragoons, 
Company  F  of  the  Fourth  Infantry,  B  of  the  Fifth 
Infantry,  parts  of  the  Ninth,  Eleventh  and  Fifteenth 
Infantry  (new  Regular  regiments),  a  few  companies 
of  Voltigeurs  or  scouting  riflemen,  and  a  batch  of 
recruits  for  all  arms. 

General  Franklin  Pierce  (another  new  brigadier), 
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GETTING  READY  AT  PUEBLA 

of  New  Hampshire,  arrived  next,  on  August  6,  with 
twenty-four  hundred  men  out  of  three  thousand. 
He  had  dropped  six  hundred  by  reason  of  sicknesses, 
and  had  had  six  fights.  His  troops  were  the  famous 
Marine  Corps  of  the  navy,  the  remainder  of  the  new 
Regular  regiments — Ninth,  Eleventh,  Twelfth, 
Fourteenth  and  Fifteenth — and  more  recruits. 

The  new  regiments  were  rather  raw  yet;  had 
been  mustered  in  only  a  few  months,  and  only  six 
out  of  the  four  hundred  officers  had  seen  service. 
The  others  were  civilian  appointees — many  were 
greener  than  Jerry.  They  made  an  odd  sight  as  they 
rode  or  walked  about  trying  to  act  like  old  hands,  but 
bothered  by  their  swords  and  spurs.  The  Marines, 
however,  were  a  snappy  lot,  officers  and  all,  and  took 
no  back  talk  from  anybody. 

General  Scott  had  called  in  the  garrison  from 
Jalapa.  It  looked  as  though  he  was  almost  ready  to 
march  on.  He  now  commanded  fourteen  thousand 
men  in  Puebla,  but  the  sick  list  was  tremendous.  Two 
thousand  men  were  in  the  hospital,  five  hundred 
others  were  just  getting  well.  Nevertheless,  the  time 
had  come.  For  several  days  before  the  arrival  of  the 
last  reinforcements  under  General  Pierce  all  signs 
had  pointed  to  an  early  break  up.  A  council  of  war 
had  been  held  at  headquarters,  attended  by  Generals 
Worth,  Twiggs,  Quitman  and  Pillow;  aides  and 
orderlies  had  been  racing  through  the  streets,  equip- 
ments had  been  overhauled  and  wagons  loaded. 

Reports  said  that  General  Santa  Anna  had  gath- 
ered an  army  again  of  thirty  thousand  and  more, 
and  had  fortified  all  the  approaches  to  the  capital. 

That  made  no  difference  to  the  army.  The 
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INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

Regulars  were  eager  to  start.  The  Volunteers — the 
Second  Pennsylvanians,  the  New  Yorkers  and  the 
South  Carolinans — gallantly  proclaimed  that  they 
wished  to  "see  the  elephant "  beyond  those  next 
mountains.  These  fighting  Mohawks  were  bound  to 
go  through,  and  compared  with  the  new  Regulars, 
they  were  veterans. 

Colonel  Childs,  from  Jalapa,  was  to  remain  in 
Puebla  with  the  sick  and  a  garrison  of  five  hundred. 
The  majority  of  the  First  Pennsylvanians  stayed  at 
Perote  to  hold  that.  Counting  out  teamsters  and  the 
like  General  Scott  had,  after  all,  only  about  ten 
thousand  seven  hundred  officers  and  men,  with 
whom  to  advance  against  General  Santa  Anna's 
thirty  thousand. 

"  We  might  better  have  chased  right  along  with 
what  we  had  after  the  battle  of  Cerro  Gordo,  and 
reached  Mexico  as  soon  as  Santa  Anna,"  Hannibal 
complained.  "  He's  had  time  to  make  ready  for  us, 
and  we're  cut  loose  from  our  base — haven't  men 
enough  to  garrison  a  single  place,  except  Perote,  be- 
tween here  and  Vera  Cruz,  and  the  whole  road  is 
worried  by  guerillas.  Old  Fuss  and  Feathers  says 
he's  thrown  away  the  scabbard  and  is  advancing  with 
the  naked  sword.  It's  do  or  die.  Well,  anyhow,  the 
Second  Division  starts  to-morrow.  Those  fellows 
have  the  luck  again.  Hope  we  aren't  far  behind." 

This  was  August  6,  the  day  of  General  Pierce's 
arrival.  The  army  had  been  re-apportioned  into 
four  divisions  instead  of  three. 

The  First  Division  was  about  the  same  as  before: 
Second  Artillery,  Third  Artillery,  Fourth  Infantry, 
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GETTING  READY  AT  PUEBLA 

in  the  First  Brigade;  Fifth  Infantry,  Sixth  Infantry, 
Eighth  Infantry,  in  the  Second  Brigade. 

The  Second  Division  (General  Twiggs')  was 
about  the  same  also :  First  Artillery,  Third  Infantry, 
and  the  Rifles,  in  the  First  Brigade ;  Fourth  Artillery, 
Second  Infantry,  Seventh  Infantry,  with  the  Engi- 
neer company  and  Ordnance  company,  in  the  Sec- 
ond Brigade. 

Major-General  Pillow,  who  ranked  next  to  Gen- 
eral Scott,  now,  as  full  major-general,  commanded 
the  Third  Regular  Division.  This  contained  the  new 
regiments.  The  First  Brigade,  General  Cadwalader, 
had  the  Voltiguers  or  light  riflemen,  the  Eleventh 
Infantry,  the  Fourteenth  Infantry,  and  Captain  John 
Magruder's  Light  Battery  I  of  the  First  Artillery. 
The  Second  Brigade,  under  the  handsome  General 
Franklin  Pierce,  had  the  Ninth,  Twelfth  and  Fif- 
teenth Infantry. 

General  Quitman  commanded  the  Fourth  Divi- 
sion. This  was  the  Volunteers  and  the  Marines. 
General  Shields,  who  had  recovered  from  his  terrible 
wound  received  at  Cerro  Gordo,  had,  of  course,  been 
given  the  Volunteer  brigade,  composed  of  the  Pal- 
mettos under  Colonel  P.  M.  Butler,  and  the  Second 
New  Yorkers  under  Colonel  Ward  B.  Burnett.  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel E.  S.  Watson,  of  the  Marines,  had 
the  Second  Brigade — the  Marines  under  Major  Levi 
Twiggs  and  the  Second  Pennsylvania  (a  fine  regi- 
ment equal  to  the  Regulars)  under  Colonel  W.  B. 
Roberts,  with  Light  Battery  H  of  the  Third  Artillery 
under  Lieutenant  E.  J.  Steptoe,  and  Company  C, 
Third  Dragoons. 

185 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

Then  there  was  the  cavalry  brigade,  commanded 
by  the  fire-eater,  Colonel  Harney,  and  containing 
Company  F  of  the  First  Dragoons,  under  Captain 
Phil  Kearny,  nephew  of  General  Stephen  W.  Kearny 
who  had  marched  the  First  to  California;  six  com- 
panies of  the  Second  Dragoons,  under  Major  E.  V. 
Sumner,  who  also  had  recovered  from  his  Cerro 
Gordo  wound;  and  three  companies  of  the  new 
Third  Dragoons,  under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Thomas 
P.  Moore. 

The  Twiggs  Second  Division  was  to  lead  the  way, 
with  Harney's  dragoons  clearing  the  advance. 

Everybody  turned  out  early  the  next  morning, 
Tuesday,  August  7,  to  see  the  Second  start  for  the 
Halls  of  Montezuma.  The  dragoons  were  already 
a  short  distance  upon  the  road.  A  great  throng  of 
soldiers,  sick  and  well,  and  of  the  townspeople, 
pressed  around  the  plaza  where  General  Twiggs 
drew  up  his  regiments  on  parade  before  the  govern- 
ment palace  to  be  inspected  by  General  Scott. 

Inspection  over  with,  he  faced  the  long  lines  and 
raised  his  hat — and  what  a  burly  fighter  he  looked 
to  be,  with  his  short  neck  and  his  sunburned  red  face 
and  his  mane  of  white  hair. 

"  Now,  my  lads,  give  them  a  Cerro  Gordo 
shout !  "  he  bellowed.  "  One,  two,  three — huzzah !  " 

"  Huzzah !  Huzzah !  Huzzah !  "  The  twenty- 
five  hundred  cheered  with  one  voice  in  a  deafening 
burst.  Jerry,  Hannibal,  and  every  comrade  in  the 
crowd  joined  wildly.  The  bands  blared,  the  drums 
rolled,  the  fifes  squeaked. 

"  By  company,  right  wheel !     Quick — march !  " 

1 86 


GETTING  READY  AT  PUEBLA 

The  division  broke  into  column  of  companies. 

"  Columns,   forward — march !     Guide — right !  " 

"  Break  into  platoons — march!  " 

Away  tramped  the  Second  Division,  bands  play- 
ing, drums  beating,  cannon  rumbling,  flags  flying. 

"  Hi !  "  Pompey  chuckled,  having  squirmed  up 
beside  Jerry  and  Hannibal.  "  Santy  Annie,  he  done 
heah  dat  shout,  an1  he's  a-sayin' :  '  Dem  Yankees  is 
comin' !  Now  where  I  gwine? ' ' 


XIV 

A  SIGHT  OF  THE  GOAL  AT  LAST 

THE  next  morning  the  General  Quitman  Mo- 
hawks and  Marines  marched  jauntily  out,  headed 
by  Captain  Gaither's  company  of  the  Third  Dra- 
goons. The  Worth  division  was  to  leave  on  the 
morning  following ;  the  Pillow  Third  Regular  Divi- 
sion would  be  the  last. 

All  Puebla  gathered  to  see  the  First  go.  Not 
a  few  of  the  Mexican  women  were  crying.  The 
First  Division  was  the  favorite.  The  townspeople 
had  named  it  the  "  Pueblan  Division."  They  ad- 
mired the  way  the  men  had  stacked  arms  and  coolly 
lain  down  to  sleep  in  the  plaza  as  if  fearing  nothing. 

General  Worth,  dark  and  flashing-eyed,  sitting 
his  horse  like  a  field  marshal,  called  for  three  cheers. 

"Huzzah!    Huzzah!    Huzzah!" 

In  column  of  sections  five  men  wide  the  First 
passed  through  the  gate,  and  upon  the  National 
Road  to  the!  City  of  Mexico. 

"  Form  platoons — march !  " 

"  Route  step — march ! " 

From  close  order  of  thirteen  inches  distance 
the  ranks  fell  back  to  twenty-eight  inches,  or  one 
pace,  apart.  The  men  might  carry  their  guns  at 
will,  always  with  the  muzzles  up ;  they  need  not  keep 
step  and  might  talk. 

An  aide  from  the  general  staff  galloped  in  from 
behind  and  said  something  to  General  Worth.  The 
order  rang  imperative : 

188 


A  SIGHT  OF  THE  GOAL  AT  LAST 

"  Column,  close  order — march !  " 

So  everybody  came  to  a  shoulder  arms,  the  ranks 
closed,  the  drums  again  tapped  the  cadence  of  ninety 
steps  to  the  minute. 

General  Scott  hastened  by  with  his  staff  and 
escort,  and  continued  on  to  join  the  Twiggs  advance, 
it  was  said. 

"  Route  step — march !  " 

The  day,  August  9,  was  sunny  and  warm.  The 
City  of  Mexico  lay  about  ninety  miles  west,  beyond 
the  next  range  of  mountains.  From  the  pass  over 
the  range  the  Valley  of  Mexico  and  the  city  would 
be  seen. 

At  the  end  of  the  third  day's  march  camp  was 
pitched  amidst  an  icy  drizzle,  in  a  high  valley  named 
the  Rio  Frio  or  Cold  Water  Valley.  There  had 
been  a  stiff  climb  through  pine  forests  but  the  pass 
was  near  before.  General  Worth,  riding  his  horse 
among  the  regiments,  directed  that  timber  be  cut 
by  the  messes  and  fires  built.  Soon  the  dark  rainy 
valley  was  aglow  with  the  log  blazes  of  the  First 
Division  bivouac,  here  ten  thousand  feet  up,  in  the 
Anahuac  Mountains. 

Jerry  was  warm  and  comfortable,  rolled  in  his 
blanket  beside  the  fire,  his  drum  stowed  in  its  oil- 
cloth housing. 

"Ah,  weel,  I've  seen  worse  in  Scotland,"  Pri- 
vate "  Scotty  "  MacPheel  remarked. 

"  Sure,  we'll  niver  mind  whin  we're  all  a-livin' 
cosy-loike  in  the  Halls  o'  Montezumy,"  said  Cor- 
poral Finerty.  "  Faith,  an*  they're  not  fur  now. 
Jist  over  the  top  o'  the  hill,  an'  down." 

The  fires  gradually  died  under  the  pelting  rain. 
189 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

When  to  the  touch  of  a  sergeant,  Jerry  awoke,  shiver- 
ing, for  reveille,  his  blanket  was  sheeted  with  ice, 
and  icicles  hung  from  his  drum  cover. 

But  this  day  they  ail  were  to  cross  the  range  and 
would  see  the  City  of  Mexico  below,  where  General 
Santa  Anna  waited  with  his  thirty  thousand  men,  his 
artillery  and  his  forts. 

To  drum  beat  and  fife  note,  playing  the  regimen- 
tal marches,  the  First  Division  stepped  out  briskly  in 
the  crisp  air.  The  way  was  up,  and  up,  and  .up. 
At  every  half  mile  the  column  had  to>  stop  and  rest.' 
The  men  sweat  under  their  muskets,  knapsacks, 
haversacks,  cartridge  boxes  and  blanket  rolls.  When 
they  reached  the  top  they  were  almost  eleven  thou- 
sand feet  aloft. 

The  pass  formed  a  plateau  about  a  mile  long  but 
not  wide.  At  noon  the  column  halted  at  the  western 
edge  for  dinner. 

Nothing  below  could  be  seen  except  a  heavy  fog 
extending  like  billows  of  cloud,  while  up  here  the 
sun  was  shining.  Nevertheless  the  Valley  of  Mexico 
was  underneath  the  fog  bank. 

"  Companies,  fall  in !  " 

"By  platoons,   forward — route  step — march!" 

Down  they  went  upon  a  pretty  fair  road.  The 
fog  was  breaking,  as  they  twisted  and  turned  amidst 
the  pines.  Now  the  sun  commenced  to  shine  into 
the  valley  itself.  Lakes  glistened,  green  fields  un- 
folded, more  mountains  appeared. 

With  rumble  of  wheels,  tramp  of  feet  and  clatter 

of  hoofs  the  First  Division  descended.     Nobody 

could  deny  that  the  long  column  of  cavalry,  artillery, 

infantry  and  wagons  made  a  handsome  sight.    Gen- 

190 


A  SIGHT  OF  THE  GOAL  AT  LAST 

eral  Worth  and  staff,  in  their  great-coats,  upon  their 
horses,  had  paused.  The  general  was  eagerly  sur- 
veying the  line.  Then  he  exclaimed : 

"  Gentlemen !  Look  at  that !  Just  look  at  that 
column!  Isn't  it  enough  to  cheer  the  heart  of 
any  man?  " 

By  mid-afternoon  the  whole  valley  was  in  view. 
There  were  numerous  towns ;  several  large  lakes ;  the 
City  of  Mexico  was  disclosed  as  a  patch  of  sparkling 
towers  and  turrets,  thirty  miles  distant.  And  after 
a  time  the  ranks  began  to  pick  out  the  camps  of  the 
Second  and  Fourth  Divisions,  blue  with  soldiers  and 
slightly  marked  by  the  few  tents  of  officers. 

"  That  first  is  Twiggs." 

"  No,  it's  Quitman.  I  can  see  the  Mohawks 
'atin'!" 

"  B'  gorry,  'tis  Twiggs ;  for  there's  Quid  Fuss  an* 
Feathers,  big  as  anny  thray  men ! " 

"  Column,  close  up — march ! " 

The  ranks  closed,  the  men  fell  into  the  cadenced 
step.  Drum  Major  Brown  ordered  "Coming 
Through  the  Rye  " ;  and  with  the  fifes  and  drums 
of  the  Fourth  Regiment  playing  "  If  a  body  meet  a 
body,"  and  the  other  music  and  the  bands  playing 
what  they  chose,  they  all  marched  past  the  first  camp 
(that  of  the  Quitman  Volunteers  and  Marines)  ;  be- 
fore reaching  the  camp  of  the  Second  they  turned 
into  a  road  branching  off  to  the  southwest,  as  if  for 
a  round  shining  lake ;  and  at  sunset,  while  the  clouds 
promised  rain,  they  made  camp  at  a  village  named 
Chalco,  near  the  eastern  border  of  the  lake. 

The  evening  was  rainy.  Under  orders  from  the 
officers  the  company  sergeants  soon  billeted  the  men 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

in  the  village  houses  and  shacks.  Jerry's  mess — 
First  Sergeant  Mulligan,  Corporal  Finerty,  Fifer 
O'Toole,  Privates  "Scotty  "  MacPheel,  John  Doane 
(who  had  served  in  the  British  army)  and  Henry 
Brewer  from  New  Jersey — got  quarters  equal  to 
the  best :  the  same  being  a  room  with  stout  clay  walls 
and  mud  roof,  and  a  fireplace,  and  sheep  pelts  on  the 
dirt  floor  for  softness.  To  be  sure,  the  pelts  smelled 
rather  strong  when  warmed  up,  but  what  difference? 

Sergeant  Mulligan  sent  out  Scotty  and  Henry 
to  forage,  with  Jerry  as  interpreter.  They  three 
came  back  bringing  a  shoulder  of  mutton,  two 
chickens  and  an  armful  of  corn.  Under  orders  from 
the  sergeant,  in  a  gruff  voice,  but  delivered  by  Jerry, 
the  Mexican  who  owned  the  hut  supplied  firewood. 
Speedily  the  mess  was  cooking  and  eating. 

"  The  only  thing  that  bothers  me  now  is,  jest  how 
are  we  goin'  to  call  on  Santy  Annie?"  said  Fifer 
O'Toole,  munching;  "  for,  as  I  understand,  all  the 
roads  leadin'  in  to  him  are  dikes,  like,  through 
the  bogs,  wid  wather  on  both  hands  an'  can- 
non overhead." 

"Why  can't  you  1'ave  that  to  Gin'ral  Scott?" 
Corporal  Finerty  reproved.  "  Faith,  he'll  find  the 
way  in  an'  we'll  take  it.  Meself,  I  ain't  paid  to  do 
a  gin'ral's  work;  I've  my  own  business,  an'  that's 
fightin'  whin  the  officers  give  the  word.  They're 
the  lads  who  know." 

"  By  the  way  the  folks  in  this  town  are  acting, 

keeping  so  aloof  and  not  over  friendly,  they  consider 

us  as  good  as  licked  already,"  put  in  Henry  Brewer. 

"  '  You  are  all  dead  men ' — wasn't  that  the  comfort- 

192 


A  SIGHT  OF  THE  GOAL  AT  LAST 

ing  word  from  the  black- faced  villain  who  handed  us 
over  the  mutton?  "  he  appealed  to  Jerry. 

Jerry  nodded. 

"  But  they  said  the  same  about  you  in  Vera 
Cruz,"  he  added. 

"  Yis,  an*  they  thought  the  same  at  Cerry  Gordo," 
Sergeant  Mulligan  asserted.  "  An*  the  same  they 
thought  in  Pueblo,  whin  the  purty  gurls  cried  to  see 
us  set  out.  But  for  all  that  we're  still  terrible  able  to 
punish  flesh-an'-blood  victuals.  Wid  full  stomicks 
an'  Scott  to  lade  us  on  we  go." 


XV 

OUTGUESSING  GENERAL  SANTA  ANNA 

IN  the  morning  the  clouds  had  vanished.  The 
day  was  as  warm  as  midsummer;  in  the  east  and 
southeast  the  great  peaks  of  Iztaccihuatl  and  Popo- 
catepetl stood  out  white  and  sharp  and  clear ;  large 
Lake  Chalco  shimmered  in  lanes  of  water  through 
reeds  and  floating  meadows ;  across  it,  and  farther  in 
the  northwest,  the  City  of  Mexico  appeared  plainly, 
its  towers  and  high  roofs  glistening  in  the  sun. 

Everything  looked  peaceful.  After  the  camp 
had  performed  its  fatigue  duties,  the  men  were  set 
at  work  cleaning  their  equipment.  Jerry  finished 
early  and  was  free  to  wander. 

By  all  talk  throughout  the  regiment  the  situation 
was  serious.  The  City  of  Mexico  was  in  sight,  but 
it  was  surrounded  by  lakes  and  bogs,  and  batteries 
of  heavy  guns,  and  fortifications  manned  by  thirty 
thousand  or  more  Mexican  soldiers. 

After  a  while  he  espied  an  officer  seated  by  him- 
self, apart,  upon  a  pile  of  old  clay  bricks  and  studying 
a  map.  It  was  Lieutenant  Grant,  busy  figuring  the 
problem.  Jerry  went  to1  him  and  saluted. 

"  Well,  my  lad?  "  the  lieutenant  invited. 

"  Beg  your  pardon,  sir,  but  I  was  wondering 
what  we're  going  to  do/'  Jerry  ventured. 

Lieutenant  Grant  smiled. 

"  So  are  the  rest  of  us.     It's  a  very  pretty  puzzle. 
But  General  Scott  will  solve  it,  for  here  we  are." 
194 


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OUTGUESSING  GENERAL  SANTA  ANNA 

"  Oh,  we'll  take  the  city,  of  course,  sir,"  Jerry 
agreed.  "  I  don't  know  how,  though." 

"  N-no,"  the  lieutenant  mused,  eying  his  map. 
Then  he  eyed  Jerry.  He  was  worn  and  thin,  like 
the  soldiers  generally.  "  You're  a  bright  boy. 
Maybe  if  you  look  at  this  map  you  will  understand 
things  better.  But  this  is  all  confidential,  you  must 
remember.  The  man  in  the  ranks  is  supposed  to 
wait  and  obey  orders;  the  field  officers  say  what  they 
are.  And  as  I'm  only  a  second  lieutenant  I  have  lit- 
tle to  do  with  the  planning  of  operations." 

"  I'll  remember,  sir,"  Jerry  promised. 

"  All  right.  Sit  down.  Here's  a  sketch  map  that 
I've  borrowed  from  the  engineers.  It  covers  this 
section.  There's  the  road  from  Puebla,  over  which 
we  advanced.  There's  the  Fourth  Division  camp,  at 
Buena  Vista,  which  we  passed  before  turning  off ;  and 
there's  the  Second  Division  camp  at  Ayotla,  three 
miles  along  toward  the  city.  Here  we  are  at  Chalco, 
a  short  distance  south  of  the  Puebla  road  and  the 
two  other  camps,  and  there  in  the  northwest  is  the 
City  of  Mexico.  You'll  see  how  we  are  blocked  off 
from  going  over  the  Puebla  or  National  road,  by 
the  fortress  of  El  Peiion.  There's  El  Penon,  thir- 
teen miles  west  of  General  Twiggs'  camp,  on  the 
main  highway." 

"  Yes,  sir.  I  see  it.  Can't  we  take  it  like  we 
took  Cerro  Gordo?  " 

"  General  Scott,  I  have  been  informed,  would 
rather  not  try.  El  Penon  is  stronger  than  Cerro 
Gordo  was.  You  can  see  it  from  here.  It  consists 
of  one  steep  hill ;  mounts  fifty-one  guns  by  batteries 
placed  in  terraces,  and  is  surrounded  by  a  ditch  of 
195 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

water  twenty-four  feet  wide  and  ten  feet  deep.  The 
guns  enfilade,  or  rake  the  length  of  the  road  for 
a  long  distance,  and  we  cannot  avoid  them  by  leav- 
ing the  road  on  account  of  marshes,  on  either  hand. 
To  force  El  Penon  would  cost  three  thousand  men, 
and  we  would  still  be  upon  a  narrow  road,  seven 
miles  from  the  city,  and  unable  to  manoeuvre.  But 
southwest  of  El  Penon,  and  nearer  the  city,  on  a 
branch  road  or  cut-off  from  the  main  road,  you  see 
another  fortress  called  Mexicalcingo." 

"  Yes,  sir/' 

"  Mexicalcingo  is  a  fortified  town,  commanding1 
the  passage  of  a  bridge  through  the  marsh  at  the 
head  of  Lake  Xochimilco,  which  is  the  lake  extending 
into  the  northwest  from  Lake  Chalco.  Mexical- 
cingo is  scarcely  five  miles  from  the  City  of  Mexico, 
but  otherwise  it  gives  much  the  same  problem  as 
El  Penon.  We  might  carry  the  batteries  and  the 
bridge,  and  then  we'd  still  be  on  a  narrow  road, 
flanked  by  marshes  for  four  miles,  before  we  struck 
another  main  road  to  the  city.  General  Scott  is  hav- 
ing both  fortifications  reconnoitred,  I  believe,  but 
his  spies  have  already  posted  him." 

"  Then  what  can  we  do,  sir?  "  Jerry  asked- 

"  I'm  not  saying,  although  I  am  at  liberty  to  have 
my  own  ideas.  Anybody  is  permitted  to  think,  but 
it's  against  regulations  to  think  aloud  sometimes. 
I'm  telling  you  these!  things  as  man  to  man.  When 
you  grow  up  you  may  be  an  officer  yourself,  with 
maps  at  your  disposal.  Well,  if  we  can't  get  at  the 
capital  from  the  east,  there  ought  to  be  other  ways. 
Napoleon  laid  down  as  a  maxim  of  war :  '  Never  do 
what  the  enemy  expects  you  to  do/  Santa  Anna 
196 


OUTGUESSING  GENERAL  SANTA  ANNA 

expects  General  Scott  to  advance  upon  the  city  by  the 
eastern  approaches,  and  I  understand  that  he  has 
concentrated  his  batteries  and  men  so  as  to  defend 
these  approaches.  Now  you'll  see  by  the  map  that 
beyond  Mexicalcingo  the  cut-off  road  joins  a  main 
road  from  the  south,  named  the  Acapulco  road.  And 
that  farther  west  there  is  still  another  main  road 
from  the  south." 

"  Yes,  sir,"  mused  Jerry,  pouring  over  the  map 
and  following  the  lieutenant's  finger. 

"  There  is  a  way  to  strike  the  Acapulco  road,  or 
the  other  road,  without  reducing  Mexicalcingo.  An 
army  might — I  do  not  say  it  could — but  an  army 
of  brave  men  might  march  around  south  of  Lake 
Chalco,  here,  and  away  south  of  Mexicalcingo,  over 
a  very  rough  country,  and  reach  the  Acapulco  road  at 
the  town  of  San  Augustine,  about  thirty  miles  from 
where  we  now  are.  Thus  we  should  avoid  El  Penon 
and  Mexicalcingo,  and  approach  the  city  from  an  un- 
expected quarter,  either  the  south  or  the  west" 

"  Maybe  General  Scott  has  thought  of  that,  sir." 

Lieutenant  Grant  smiled  again. 

"  No  doubt  he  has.  I  rather  surmise  that  he 
thought  of  it  at  Puebla.  I  know  he  was  busy  gather- 
ing information.  But  by  all  reports  from  our  spies 
and  from  the  natives  the  route  around  south  of  Lake 
Chalco  is  very  bad,  with  lava  rocks  and  sharp  ridges 
and  bogs.  It  is  so  bad  that  the  Mexicans  themselves 
rarely  use  it,  and  General  Santa  Anna  has  paid  little 
attention  to  it." 

"  The  same  way  he  didn't  pay  much  attention  to 
that  first  hill  at  Cerro  Gordo,"  said  Jerry. 

"  Cerro  Gordo  ought  to  have  taught  him,  but 
197 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

apparently  it  didn't.  He's  fairly  good  at  tactics 
and  poor  at  strategy.  General  Scott  shines  in  both. 
I  have  an  idea,"  continued  the  lieutenant;  and  he 
suddenly  asked :  "  Can  you  keep  a  secret,  boy  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir." 

"  Very  well.  Do  so.  I  am  telling  you  a  secret — 
or  what  may  be  a  secret.  It  is  quite  likely  that  'the 
march  upon  the  City  of  Mexico  will  be  made  by  the 
south.  Captain  Lee,  of  the  engineers,  has  recon- 
noitred the  trail  around  the  lake  to  San  Augustine 
and  thinks  it  passable." 

"  And  we  won't  have  to  fight,  sir?  " 

"Oh,  we'll  have  fighting  enough  and  to  spare. 
There  are  defenses  over  on  the  Acapulco  road,  and 
Santa  Anna  will  find  out  what  we're  up  to.  It's 
simply  a  question  whether  he'll  dare  move  his  forces 
in  time  and  leave  the  eastern  approaches  weakened. 
You  see  Tlalpam,  or  San  Augustine?  North  on  the 
road  to  the  city  there  is  the  town  of  San  Antonio, 
which  probably  has  strong  batteries ;  and  then  Churu- 
busco,  four  miles  from  the  city.  After  these  are 
taken,  we  should  have  to  fight  a  way  through  the 
interior  line  of  defenses  connected  with  the  city 
walls.  But  at  San  Augustine  we  shall  be  within  nine 
miles  of  the  city  and  have  the  choice  of  several  roads. 
Yes,"  smiled  the  lieutenant,  folding  the  map,  "  we 
shall  be  kept  busy,  officers,  men  and  boys." 

The  Third  Division,  under  General  Pillow,  bring- 
ing the  new  infantry  regiments  and  the  Voltiguers, 
arrived  this  afternoon.  They  all  passed  on  through 
Chalco  and  encamped  two  miles  south  at  Chimalpa. 
Now  if  the  attacks  were  to  be  made  from  the  east, 
then  the  Second  Division  and  the  Quitman  Volun- 


OUTGUESSING  GENERAL  SANTA  ANNA 

teers  and  Marines  would  get  in  first,  because  they 
already  were  on  the  main  road.  This  put  the  First 
and  Third  Divisions  in  the  rear  again,  which  was 
not  pkasing  to  them.  But  Jerry,  hearing  the  talk, 
smiled  to  himself,  for  he  thought  that  he  and  Lieu- 
tenant Grant  knew  different. 

And  thus  it  came  about;  for — 

"  Hooray,  boys !  The  march  is  reversed.  The 
old  First  is  to  lead  the  way  wance  more/' 

That  was  the  word  from  Corporal  Finerty,  at 
noon  mess  the  next  day  in  the  village  of  Chalco,  on 
the  eastern  shore  of  Lake  Chalco. 

"  Anywhere  do  we  go  ?  " 

"  Sure,  I  ain't  been  told  yet,  but  you  can  figger 
for  yourselves.  It  won't  be  by  the  main  road,  that's 
certain,  where  the  Twiggs  lads  are  ahead  of  us." 

The  news  set  everybody  on  edge.  The  men 
only  waited  for  orders.  In  about  two  hours  they 
came  from  Brigade  Adjutant  Nichols,  speaking  for 
Colonel  Garland. 

"  Beat  the  assembly,  drum  major." 

At  the  initial  taps  the  Fourth  Regiment  slung 
haversacks  and  knapsacks  and  grasped  muskets.  The 
other  regiments  were  as  alert.  Drum  Major  Brown 
signaled,  and  his  drummers  sounded  To  the  Color. 

There  was  brief  inspection.  Ranks  were  closed, 
platoons  formed,  the  First  Division  moved  out  into 
the  south  instead  of  into  the  north.  That  was  just 
as  Lieutenant  Grant  had  predicted. 

The  Pillow  division  was  under  arms,  two  miles 
on,  but  had  not  yet  formed  for  a  march.  The  First 
trudged  blithely  by  with  good-natured  jokes,  and 
left  it. 

199 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

When  bivouac  was  made  this  evening  in  a  corn- 
field eight  miles  from  Chalco  the  division  was  in 
fine  spirits.  Old  Fuss  and  Feathers  and  General 
Worth  were  up  to  something,  nobody  knew  exactly 
what;  but  all,  including  Santa  Anna,  would  soon 
find  out. 

The  next  day's  march  rounded  the  lake  and 
turned  into  the  west  among  olive  groves.  Emerging 
from  these  the  leading  ranks  broke  into  a  cheer. 
In  the  north,  far  beyond  the  lake,  there  might  be  seen 
El  Pefion  hill,  a  dark,  bulky  mass,  with  the  Mexican 
flag  still  flying  defiantly  from,  its  top.  Across  the 
head  of  another  lake,  in  the  northwest,  Mexicalcingo 
village  was  just  visible  with  the  Mexican  flags  mark- 
ing its  batteries  also.  The  division  was  side-stepping 
these  forts  out  of  range. 

"  Faith,  they  don't  see  us  at  all,  at  all  They're 
settin'  over  their  traps,  an'  prisently  we'll  be  lookin' 
at  their  backs!" 

The  road  was  getting  bad.  It  wound  along  the 
base  of  a  bare  mountain  range  that  extended  ridges 
right  into  the  new  lake,  Xochimilco.  The  horses 
of  Duncan's  battery  had  to  be  helped  by  hand;  the 
baggage  train  in  the  rear  struggled  with  the  steep 
ravines  cut  into  the  sharp  rock  between  ridges. 

At  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning  another  village, 
San  Gregorio,  was  reached.  Here  an  aide  came  up 
with  dispatches  for  General  Worth ;  the  word  spread 
that  an  attack  had  been  made  upon  one  of  the  columns 
behind.  The  division  was  to  wait  for  instructions. 

Then,  at  evening,  all  Colonel  Harney's  cavalry 
brigade,  eight  hundred  dragoons,  trotted  in.  They 
said  that  a  force  of  Mexican  infantry  and  lancers 


OUTGUESSING  GENERAL  SANTA  ANNA 

had  tried  to  cut  off  the  Second  Division,  back  at 
Buena  Vista  on  the  way  from  Ayotla  to  march 
around  the  lakes;  but  that  Taylor's  battery  of  the 
First  Artillery  had  sent  the  red  caps  flying. 

The  Second  Division  and  the  Fourth  Division 
were  following  the  Third  and  the  First.  The  whole 
army  was  on  the  move,  flanking  El  Penon  and 
Mexicalcingo,  aiming  to  strike  the  Acapulco  road 
into  Mexico  City  from  the  south. 

The  road  to  San  Augustine  grew  worse.  In 
places  there  was  scarcely  space  for  the  column  to 
pass  between  Lake  Xochimilco  and  the  mountain 
slopes.  The  pioneers  toiled.  The  Mexicans  had 
hastened  to  cut  ditches  and  roll  down  logs;  but  the 
artillery  and  the  wagons  were  hauled  through 
and  over. 

Captain  Mason  of  the  engineers  rode  ahead,  out 
of  sight,  to  reconnoitre.  When  he  returned  it  was 
reported  that  he  had  entered  San  Augustine  itself, 
and  had  found  no  soldiers. 

"  Column,  attention !  Close  order — forward — 
march ! " 

With  cavalry,  infantry,  four  pieces  of  artillery 
and  seventy-five  wagons  the  First  Division  marched 
into  San  Antonio  on  the  afternoon  of  August  1 7. 

In  camp  this  night  many  of  the  men  thought  that 
now  the  way  was  open  to  the  city.  Remembering 
the  map  and  his  talk  with  Lieutenant  Grant,  Jerry 
feared  different.  So  did  others. 

"  Not  yet,  not  yet,  my  lads/'  said  Sergeant  Mulli- 
gan. "  We'll  have  our  fights.  You  can  rist  sure  that 
Santy  Annie  knows  afore  this  what  we're  about. 
Ain't  the  country  full  o'  spies  for  him  ?  'Tis  a  long 

201 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

nine  miles  to  thim  Halls  o'  Montezumy,  an*  plenty 
o'  room  for  batteries  acrost  the  way.  If  I  don't  miss 
my  guiss  there'll  be  troops  anj  guns  a-hurryin' 
already,  'round  by  the  city  an'  down  to  head  us  off. 
I  hear  tell  that  not  two  mile  north  is  the  first  o'  the 
trouble — a  place  called  San  Antonio,  bristlin'  wid 
guns ;  an'  Cherrybusco  beyant,  lookin'  the  same.  An' 
bogs,  an'  outworks,  an'  the  city  walls  beyant  that." 
"  Weel,"  quoth  Private  MacPheel,  "  may  the  bul- 
lets be  distributed  same  as  the  pay,  anj  mony  a 
braw  fallow  win  through." 


XVI 

FACING  THE  MEXICAN   HOST 

AT  eight  in  the  morning  assembly  was  ordered. 
The  division  formed  column.  This  looked  like  busi- 
ness. General  Scott  had  arrived ;  the  Second,  Third 
and  Fourth  Divisions  were  coming  rapidly.  When 
the  First  headed  out  of  San  Augustine,  upon  a  broad 
road  leading  to  the  north,  Jerry  himself  felt  a  queer 
little  thrill.  In  that  direction  lay  San  Antonio,  only 
two  miles  and  a  half;  beyond  San  Antonio  was 
Churubusco;  and  beyond  Churubusco,  Mexico  City. 

From  San  Augustine  nothing  could  be  seen  of 
the  country  north.  The  view  was  interrupted  by  a 
great  mass  of  blackish  volcanic  rock,  thrown  up  like 
lava,  and  cooled  into  all  kinds  of  ugly  shapes.  It  was 
named  El  Pedrigal ;  was  two  miles  north  and  south, 
and  three  miles  east  and  west. 

The  road  turned  northward  around  the  east  end 
of  the  lava  bed.  In  another  mile  the  west  end  of 
Lake  Xochimilco  opened,  opposite  on  the  right — and 
the  column  suddenly  halted.  The  road  continued, 
but  half  a  mile  before  there  stretched  across  it  the 
Mexican  batteries  of  San  Antonio. 

Now  the  general  officers  consulted.  In  the  col- 
umn heads  wagged.  With  the  marshes  of  the  lake 
upon  the  one  hand  and  the  jagged  lava  ridges  upon 
the  other,  and  the  road  running  between  straight 
into  the  breastworks,  it  did  not  look  like  a  very 
happy  prospect. 

203 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

"  Order  —  arms !  Battalion  — -  rest !  "  barked 
Major  Francis  Lee  to  the  Fourth  Infantry. 

The  whole  column  might  stand  at  ease  while 
General  Worth  and  his  staff,  riding  to  a  better  posi- 
tion, examined  the  ground  through  their  glasses. 
An  aide  came  with  orders  for  the  brigade. 

"  The  general's  compliments,  colonel,  and  you 
will  please  encamp  your  brigade  on  the  right  of  the 
road,"  he  shouted,  to  Colonel  Garland. 

The  regiments  were  moved  over.  The  Second 
Brigade  also  went  into  camp  behind.  The  companies 
were  cautioned  to  stay  near  their  stacked  arms  in 
readiness  for  action.  The  flags  of  the  Mexican  bat- 
teries could  be  seen  plainly;  the  notes  of  their  bugles 
could  be  heard.  A  cannon  boomed,  and  a  round- 
shot  whined  down  the  road. 

"  B'  gorry,  this  day  we  make  a  horn  or  spoil  a 
spoon,"  Corporal  Finerty  declared.  "  Who's  for 
climbin'  over  thim  breastworks?  " 

"  I ! "  and  "  I ! "  and  "  Here's  your  man !  "  were 
the  replies. 

"  Less  noise  there,  sergeant,"  called  Captain  Gore. 

"  You  hear  ?  Hould  your  breaths,  for  you'll  nade 
Jem,"  Sergeant  Mulligan  rebuked. 

"  Sure,  sergeant,  wan  Cerry  Gordo  shout  an' 
thim  beggars  'd  be  showin*  us  their  heels,"  Corporal 
Finerty  grinned. 

"  Here  he  comes !  Old  Fuss  and  Feathers  him- 
self!  'Tis  like  a  smell  o'  powder — the  sight  of  him. 
Are  ye  all  primed,  boys  ?  We're  in  for  a  fight." 

General  Scott  and  staff  galloped  up.  General 
Worth  received  him  at  division  headquarters  in  a 
ranch  house  near  the  rear ;  they  all  proceeded  to  ex- 
204 


FACING  THE  MEXICAN  HOST 

amine  the  country  again  from  the  roof  of  the  house. 
Pretty  soon  the  engineers  under  Major  J.  L.  Smith 
and  Captain  James  Mason  (said  to  be  almost  the 
equal  of  Captain  Lee  in  cleverness)  set  out  to  recon- 
noitre over  the  lava  bed  on  the  left ;  Captain  Seth  B. 
Thornton's  company  of  the  Second  Dragoons  detach- 
ment filed  along  the  edge  of  the  lava  to  support  them. 

Both  parties  disappeared.  The  camp  waited; 
had  dinner  beside  their  stacked  arms,  the  remaining 
detachment  of  dragoons  loafing  likewise.  Some  of 
the  men  slept  in  the  warm  sun.  Jerry  was  dozing 
off  like  an  old  campaigner,  his  shoulders  bolstered 
against  his  drum,  when  a  "  Boom !  Boom  "  awakened 
him  with  a  start.  The  men  around  him  were  listening 
and  gazing,  their  faces  a  little  paled.  The  officers 
had  stiffened,  alert. 

A  cavalry  horse  galloped  down  the  road,  its  saddle 
empty,  its  stirrups  flapping. 

"  Cap'n  Thornton's  horse!  It's  Cap'n  Thorn- 
ton's horse!" 

As  the  horse  swerved  for  the  dragoons,  all  might 
see  that  the  saddle  was  bloody.  When  the  Thornton 
troopers  rode  in,  they  brought  Captain  Thornton's 
body,  cut  almost  in  two  by  a  cannon  ball.  They  had 
reconnoitred  too  close  to  a  masked  battery. 

The  Mexican  batteries  were  sending  an  occasional 
shot  in  the  direction  of  the  division,  bidding  "  Stand 
off! "  The  engineers  toiled  back.  They  evidently 
had  found  no  route  either  by  the  left  or  the  right  of 
the  road,  for  toward  evening  the  First  Brigade  was 
moved  a  short  distance  aside  and  everybody  knew 
that  the  attack  had  been  postponed.  The  Fourth 
205 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

Regiment  secured  quarters  in  a  large  stone  barn — 
and  just  in  time.     A  cold  rain  began  to  fall. 

The  Mexican  batteries  kept  firing  at  the  barn  with 
a  twenty-four-pounder;  once  in  a  while  a  round  shot 
landed  upon  the  mud  roof  or  shook  the  solid  walls, 
but  the  rain  and  the  gathering  dusk  made  poor  prac- 
tice for  them,  and  after  a  time  the  men  grew  used  to 
the  bombardment. 

Finally  the  shots  ceased.  Up  the  road  the  San 
Antonio  soldiers  were  having  a  celebration.  There 
was  much  singing  and  howling  and  squawking  of 
bands,  together  with  the  firing  of  muskets. 

"  Now  I  wonder  what's  the  reason  of  all  that?  " 
Henry  Brewer  of  Jerry's  mess  remarked.  "  Is  it 
because  they  killed  one  man,  or  do  they  think  they've 
beaten  us  off?  Seems  to  me  it  takes  mighty  little 
to  make  those  fellows  happy." 

"  Aye;  and  to-morrow  they'll  be  singing  a  dif- 
ferent tune,"  said  John  Doane. 

"  Did  soombody  obsarve  this  marn  that  we'd  be 
makin'  a  spoon  or  spoilin'  a  horn?"  asked  Scotty 
MacPheel.  "  Faith,  whin  we  carry  yon  batteries 
I  doot  soom  of  us  '11  no  hae  muckle  mair  use  for  a 
spoon  or  any  ither  tool  except  a  spade." 

"  Right-o,  Scotty,"  Corporal  Finerty  agreed. 
"  For  me  military  eye  tells  me  there's  a  job  ahead 
of  us,  though  I'm  not  say  in'  the  First  Division  can't 
handle  it  Sure  it's  no  secret  what  the  ingineers 
reported ;  all  the  officers  know  it,  an*  I've  an  ear  on 
either  side  o'  my  topknot.  The  Mexicans  ferninst 
us  are  snug  an'  tight,  wid  a  reinforcement  o'  two 
regiments  from  the  north,  an*  thray  thousand  men  all 
tould,  an1  batteries  fetched  clear  from  El 
206 


FACING  THE  MEXICAN  HOST 

that  other  place,  Mexicalcingo.  Their  right  rists  on 
the  lavy  that  only  infantry  can  travel;  their  lift 
ixtends  clean  into  the  bogs,  where  no  man  nor  horse 
can  make  way  around.  An*  in  front  we  got  to 
charge  in  along  this  same  open  road,  an*  belike  have 
to  put  up  scalin'  ladders  to  get  in  wid  for  use  o' 
the  bayonet." 

"  You  talk  like  an  officer,  Finerty." 

"  Yis,  an*  I'm  givin'  yez  officers'  talk.  If  I  had 
me  desarts  a  gin'ral  I'd  ha'  been  before  this.  An* 
somethin'  else  I'll  tell  you.  Yonder  at  the  other  side 
those  lavy  ridges,  an'  only  thray  miles,  is  another  set 
o'  batteries,  an'  we  can't  pass  betwixt.  There's  an- 
other road,  too,  west'ard,  an'  a  cross  road  connectin' 
this  and  that,  by  way  o'  Cherrybusco  beyant  San 
Antonio.  So  if  we  do  take  San  Antonio,  an'  Cherry- 
busco, won't  we  have  thim  fellows  on  our  backs? 
Now  I'm  figgerin'  that  the  gin'ral  staff  is  thinkin' 
a  bit  on  how  to  carry  the  batteries  yonder,  first." 

The  night  passed  peacefully.  Duncan's  battery 
had  been  posted  to  command  the  road,  the  sentinels 
regularly  sang:  "All's  well,"  and  the  camp  slept.  In 
the  huge  stone  barn  the  Fourth  Regiment  was  as  com- 
fortable as  could  be. 

August  19,  the  next  day,  dawned  bright  and 
warm.  Word  came  that  all  the  divisions  were  now 
up  as  far  as  San  Augustine.  By  the  number  of 
aides  and  orderlies  dashing  back  and  forth  between 
the  First  Division  headquarters  and  San  Augustine, 
something  was  due  to  happen. 

The  orders  of  the  day  kept  everybody  close. 
Jerry  had  no  opportunity  to  look  up  Hannibal,  and 
Hannibal  was  unable  to  look  him  up,  either.  The 
207 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

air  seemed  filled  with  suspense.  The  Mexican  batter- 
ies up  the  road  stayed  very  alert,  expecting  an  attack. 
But  the  brigade  officers,  within  sight  of  Jerry,  con- 
stantly trained  their  glasses  upon  the  lava  field  to  the 
west — really  paying  more  attention  to  that  than  to 
San  Antonio. 

Then  about  the  middle  of  the  afternoon  the  dull 
booming  of  artillery  and  the  crash  of  musketry 
came  rolling  across  the  bristling  lava.  Speedily  two 
clouds  of  smoke  rose  toward  the  sun ;  both  were  three 
or  four  miles  away.  The  larger  one  veiled  a  hill 
that  just  showed  itself  above  the  lava  field. 

It  was  a  battle  at  last.  The  large  cloud  was  from 
the  Mexican  batteries,  the  smaller  cloud  from  the 
American  guns. 

General  Worth  and  a  group  of  officers  had  issued 
upon  the  flat  roof  of  the  ranch  house  headquarters 
to  gaze  at  the  smoke.  Division  Adjutant  Captain 
William  Mackall  galloped  in  from  the  headquarters 
to  Colonel  Garland ;  Brigade  Adjutant  Nichols  bore 
the  orders  to  Major  Lee  of  the  Fourth  Regiment. 

"The  battalions  are  to  stand  in  line,  at  rest, 
major,  prepared  to  move." 

"  Battalion,  attention! " 

Officers  ran  to  their  places;  the  men,  who  had 
been  sitting  down,  sprang  up. 

"  Right — dress !  Front !  Order — arms !  Battal- 
ion— rest ! " 

So  the  regiments  waited  for  the  command  to 
march. 

"  We'll  be  going  yonder  and  lend  a  hand."  This 
was  the  hope.  But  although  the  firing  grew  heavier 
208 


FACING  THE  MEXICAN  HOST 

and  the  smoke  clouds  denser,  no  further  orders 
arrived  from  headquarters. 

Nevertheless  it  was  plain  to  be  seen  that  things 
were  not  altogether  right  in  the  west.  General  Worth 
and  staff  still  stood  outlined  upon  the  flat  roof  of  the 
ranch  house,  peering  steadily  through  their  glasses; 
the  brigade  and  regimental  officers  were  anxiously 
gazing,  too;  and  presently  the  company  officers 
drifted  into  little  knots  and  gazed  and  murmured. 

The  smaller  black  cloud  was  stationary;  it  had 
not  advanced,  the  Mexican  cloud  had  lessened  not 
at  all.  By  the  sounds  the  American. batteries  were 
lighter  in  metal.  The  smoke  clouds  remained 
separate — the  American  forces  seemed  to  be  get- 
ting nowhere. 

The  faces  of  the  officers  lengthened;  the  men  in 
the  ranks  began  to  mutter  restlessly. 

"  Send  in  the  First.  Sure,  we're  the  boys.  Leave 
those  fellows  in  front  of  us,  and  we'll  tend  to 
'em  later." 

The  First  Division  stood  ready  until  sunset. 
When  the  firing  died  away,  the  positions  of  the  two 
smoke  clouds  had  little  changed.  The  Mexicans 
upon  the  hill  certainly  had  held  out. 

"  You  may  break  ranks,  major,"  the  adjutant 
called  to  Major  Lee.  "  The  men  are  to  be  dismissed 
for  supper." 

This  left  matters  very  unsatisfactory.  Before 
supper  Jerry  sallied  out  from  the  barn.  The  officers 
still  were  in  little  groups,  talking  earnestly.  When- 
ever any  of  the  enlisted  men  came  near  to  them,  they 
immediately  quit  talking,  as  if  they  had  been  dis- 
cussing bad  news.  Jerry  waited  until  he  had  a  chance 
14  209 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

to  catch  Lieutenant  Grant  alone.  Then  he  went  tip 
to  him. 

"  Excuse  me,  lieutenant,  but  could  you  tell  me 
anything  about  the  battle?  The  men  are  afraid  it 
hadn't  gone  right." 

"  We  don't  know  much  more  than  the  rest  of 
you,"  the  lieutenant  answered.  "  General  Worth 
probably  is  expecting  news.  But  if  you'll  promise 
not  to  spread  discouraging  word  among  the  men, 
I'll  explain  the  best  I  can." 

"  Yes,  sir." 

"  Very  well.  As  far  as  I  understand,  General 
Scott  is  operating  on  a  triangle.  The  base  of  the 
triangle  is  formed  by  this  road,  from  San  Augustine 
to  Churubusco,  with  San  Antonio  at  about  the  mid- 
dle of  it.  The  lava  field  occupies  the  inside  of  the 
triangle.  The  point  of  the  triangle,  west  across  the 
lava,  is  a  hill  called  Contreras,  which  the  Mexicans 
have  fortified  strongly.  We  cannot  pass  San  Antonio 
by  the  road,  without  much  difficulty,  in  order  to  get 
at  Churubusco  beyond  and  open  the  way  to  the  capi- 
tal. But  while  we  mask  San  Antonio  and  keep  it 
on  the  alert,  General  Scott  purposes  to  throw  the 
other  divisions  from  San  Augustine  out  along  the 
south  side  of  the  triangle,  carry  the  Mexican  fortifi- 
cations at  the  point,  and  then  by  marching  eastward 
again  along  the  north  side  of  the  triangle  strike 
Churubusco  and  San  Antonio  at  their  rear,  or  in 
reverse.  We,  of  course,  will  be  called  upon  for  a 
frontal  attack  at  the  same  time.  Now  by  the  appear- 
ance of  things  I  fear,  myself,  that  the  general  has 
run  against  a  stronger  position  than  he  anticipated, 
and  that  matters  have  not  gone  according  to  plan. 


FACING  THE  MEXICAN  HOST 

He  had  the  engineers  under  Captain  Lee  reconnoi- 
tring the  enemy  yesterday.  They  found  a  mule  trail 
leading  from  San  Augustine  through  the  lava  to  the 
batteries  at  Contreras.  Evidently  the  ground  has 
proved  difficult  for  artillery,  as  I  noted  the  reports  of 
only  three  light  guns  on  our  side." 

"  Do  you  think  we've  been  whipped,  lieutenant?  " 
Jerry  asked,  his  heart  sinking. 

"  N-no,  not  exactly  whipped,  in  the  true  sense  of 
the  word,"  Lieutenant  Grant  soberly  said  "  There's 
been  no  call  upon  us  for  reinforcements,  and  it  did 
not  sound  like  a  very  heavy  battle.  But  the  way  this 
army  is  fixed,  cut  loose  from  communications  and 
over  two  hundred  miles  in  the  enemy's  country,  if  we 
don't  take  a  place  when  we  really  attack  it  we  might 
as  well  be  whipped.  We  can't  afford  to  lose  men 
for  nothing." 

"  We'll  win  yet,  then ;  won't  we,  sir  ?  " 

"  General  Scott  is  there.  You  may  be  sure  that 
he'll  find  a  way.  A  small  force  can  hold  San  Antonio 
in  check.  It  is  acting  strictly  on  the  defensive." 

"If  troops  are  sent  for,  I  hope  they'll  be  the  First 
Brigade,"  Jerry  blurted. 

"  Yes,"  smiled  Lieutenant  Grant;  "  so  do  I." 

The  regulation  night's  rain  was  commencing  to 
fall.  Jerry  hastened  back  for  the  stone  barn  and 
supper.  That  was  rather  a  gloomy  mess.  They  all 
somehow  knew  that  the  attack  over  at  Contreras  had 
failed;  all  wondered  what  Old  Fuss  and  Feathers 
would  do  next ;  what  regiments  had  been  cut  up,  why 
the  First  Division  had  not  been  given  a  chance,  and 
so  forth,  and  so  forth. 

"  Ah,  weel,  to-morrow  '11  be  a  bludy  day,  I'm 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

thinkin',  lads,"  spoke  Scotty.  "The  gen'ral's  no 
mon  to  gie  oop.  I  vote  for  a  gude  sleep,  mysel',  an' 
I  sartainly  peety  them  who  hae  their  bivouac  in  the 
starm.  Gude  sakes,  leesten  to  the  pour  doon !  " 

The  rain  had  merged  into  a  terrific  storm  of 
thunder  and  lightning  and  gusty  wind  that  lashed 
the  barn  with  giants'  flails.  Luckily  the  Fourth 
Regiment  was  snug  within  the  dripping  eaves;  but 
what  of  the  troops  camped  in  the  open,  covered 
by  only  their  blankets?  They  would  be  drenched! 
And  what  of  the  men  on  the  battlefield?  The 
wounded,  and  the  weary ! 

While  thinking  and  listening  to  the  rain,  and 
drowsily  watching  the  smouldering  campfires  in  the 
great  barn,  Jerry  dozed  off.  He  awakened  to  the 
sound  of  low  voices.  A  group  of  non-commissioned 
officers  was  squatting  near  him,  beside  a  fire,  and 
talking  guardedly  among  themselves — or  seemed]  to 
be  interested  in  a  story.  All  through  the  barn  the 
ranks  were  stretched  under  blankets  upon  the  floor, 
snoring  and  gurgling.  Jerry  promptly  rolled  out 
and  crept  to  the  group.  Sergeant  Mulligan  and  Cor- 
poral Finerty  were  there  from  his  company. 

They  stopped  murmuring. 

"Who's  that?" 

"  Jerry  Cameron,  is  all." 

"  Get  back  to  bed.  We  want  no  young  rascal 
of  a  drummer  sittin*  in  with  us." 

"  'Asy,  now.  He's  not  as  bad  as  the  rist  of 
'em,"  Sergeant  Mulligan  said.  "He's  all  right; 
knows  how  to  kape  a  still  tongue  in  his  head.  Sure, 
I  see  him  talkin'  wid  Left'nant  Grant,  betimes,  an' 
niver  a  word  did  I  get  out  of  him.  Let  him  stay." 


FACING  THE  MEXICAN  HOST 

"  Mind  you,  then,  nothin'  of  this  to  the  men," 
Corporal  Finerty  warned.  "  Go  on,  Murray." 

The  center  of  the  group  was  Corporal  Murray,  of 
Company  A,  who  had  been  orderly  at  headquarters. 

"Well,  as  I  was  saying,"  proceeded  Corporal 
Murray,  "  the  story  of  the  battle  is  like  this — just  as 
I  got  it  with  my  two  ears  when  the  orderly  from  Old 
Fuss  and  Feathers  rode  in  with  dispatches  to  division 
headquarters  and  I  listened  through  the  door.  Gen- 
eral Valencia,  who  ranks  next  to  Santy  Annie  him- 
self, is  over  on  Contreras  hill,  with  twenty-two 
pieces  of  artillery,  mainly  heavy  guns,  and  with  six 
thousand  infantry  and  lancers,  blocking  the  way 
around  by  the  west  the  same  as  those  fellows  at  San 
Antonio  are  blocking  our  way  north'ard.  So  this 
morning  the  general-in-chief  sent  Pillow's  division  of 
new  regulars,  with  Cap'n  Magruder's  light  battery  of 
the  First  Artillery  from  the  Second  Division  and 
Left'nant  Callender's  howitzers,  to  open  the  trail 
discovered  by  the  engineers ;  and  the  Second  Division 
under  Twiggs  was  ordered  to  support. 

"  Well,  and  a  time  they  all  had,  sure  enough. 
The  engineers  hadn't  been  able  by  reason  of  the 
nature  of  the  ground  to  get  clost  enough  to  count 
the  batteries,  or  quite  rigger  their  positions,  but  they'd 
took  a  scattering  of  prisoners  before  being  driven 
back,  and  Old  Fuss  and  Feathers  examined  these. 
Now  the  trail  was  fierce,  in  the  open,  like,  all  heaved 
up  into  sharp  rocks  and  broken  by  holes,  and  never 
a  bit  of  shelter  once  our  men  had  climbed  atop  the 
lava  field.  And  at  two  thousand  yards  the  Mexican 
eighteens  had  a  fair  sweep,  whilst  Magruder  and 
Callender  couldn't  reply  at  all. 
213 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

"  But  the  men  and  horses  dragged  at  the  guns  and 
took  their  medicine.  The  Mounted  Rifles  afoot  were 
sent  forward  to  clean  out  the  Mexican  skirmishers, 
and  that  they  did.  'Twas  not  the  sharp  rocks  and 
the  holes  alone,  but  the  cactus  was  something  scanda- 
lous, and  down  in  front  of  the  hill  there  were  ditches 
and  corn  patches,  fine  for  skirmish  work.  Never 
mind,  the  Rifles  kept  at  it.  Sure,  boys,  if  Magruder 
and  Callender  didn't  get  their  guns  to  within  nine 
hundred  yards,  and  there  they  planted  'em,  and 
opened  up. 

"  Persifor  Smith's  First  Brigade  of  the  Second 
Division  formed  our  left  o'  line;  that  new  general, 
Pierce,  marched  into  right  of  line  with  his  Second 
Brigade  of  Pillow's  Third  Division,  being  the  Ninth, 
Twelfth  and  Fifteenth  Infantry;  the  other  new  gen- 
eral, Cadwalader,  moved  in  to  support  with  his 
First  Brigade,  the  Voltigeurs  and  the  'Leventh  and 
Fourteenth  regiments;  old  Bennet  Riley  with  the 
Second  and  Seventh  Regulars  and  the  Fourth 
Artillery  of  the  Twiggs'  Second  Brigade  was  sent 
around  by  our  right  flank  to  take  the  Mexicans  in 
reverse  and  occupy  a  village  north'ard  on  their 
left  rear. 

"  There  was  a  ravine  in  front  of  the  line,  and  all 
cleared  of  brush,  with  the  Mexicans  up  the  opposite 
slope  entrenched,  their  lancers  and  infantry  covering 
their  flanks  and  a  road  leading  north  for  the  City  of 
Mexico.  'Tis  the  road  which  connects  by  a  cross- 
road with  this  road  of  ourn,  at  Cherrybusco.  Our 
infantry  stood  no  show  of  storming  the  hill  from  in 
front — not  across  that  ravine ;  and  for  two  hours  the 
batteries  had  a  fearful  time  with  twenty  guns  pound- 
214! 


FACING  THE  MEXICAN  HOST 

ing  'em.  Left'nant  Callender,  of  the  howitzers,  was 
bad  wounded,  Lef'nant  J.  P.  Johnston,  of  Magru- 
der's,  got  his  death,  and  we  could  work  only  three 
guns  together,  owing  to  the  nature  of  the  ground. 
The  Rifles  lay  flat,  supporting  the  batteries ;  and  so 
did  the  gunners,  and  jumped  up  when  they  served  the 
pieces.  'Twasn't  long  before  the  whole  two  batteries 
were  put  out  of  action ;  hadn't  made  any  impression 
upon  the  breastworks  with  their  twelve-pounders, 
and  had  to  be  withdrawn." 

"  Where  was  Scott  all  that  time?  " 

"  Right  there,  up  toward  the  front.  Riley  was 
getting  through,  'midst  the  lava,  'round  the  enemy's 
left,  so  as  to  take  the  village  north'ards  on  the  road, 
and  put  a  wedge  betwixt  Valencia  and  Santy  Annie. 
For  I  tell  you  Santy  Annie  himself  was  up  the  road 
about  two  miles  with  twelve  thousand  more  Mexi- 
cans, ready  to  reinforce  if  necessary.  He'd  been 
feeding  in  troops  right  along.  Now  to  nip  that  in 
the  bud  and  to  help  Riley,  Scott  ordered  Cadwalader 
forward  by  like  route,  sent  for  Shield's  brigade  of 
Mohawks — the  New  Yorkers  and  South  Caroliny 
Palmettos  in  waiting  at  San  Augustine — and  added 
Pierce's  Fifteenth  Infantry.  Pierce's  horse  fell  in 
the  rocks  and  hurt  the  general's  knee,  but  Colonel 
Morgan  took  the  Fifteenth  to  position.  Old  Davy 
(Twiggs,  you  know)  on  his  own  hook  had  detached 
Persifor  Smith  with  the  Rifles,  First  Artillery  and 
Third  Infantry,  to  the  same  point.  And  at  dark 
there  they  all  were,  every  regiment,  under  Smith: 
posted  near  the  village  at  Valencia's  left  and  rear — 
thirty-three  hundred  of  'em,  cut  off  from  Twiggs 
on  the  south  by  the  six  thousand  of  Valencia, 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

and  threatened  on  the  north  by  Santy  Annie's 
twelve  thousand." 

"  What's  to  be  done  nixt,  wud  ye  think?  " 

"  Cap'n  Lee,  of  the  engineers,  made  his  way  back 
to  general  headquarters  at  San  Augustine.  He  got 
in  about  eleven  o'clock  with  dispatches — the  only 
officer  out  of  eight  that  tried  to  open  communication 
between  Smith  and  Scott.  He  came  all  the  way  from 
Smith,  some  four  miles  across  the  lava,  and  through 
the  Mexican  scouts — had  to  feel  with  hands  and 
knees,  for  it's  black  as  the  inside  of  your  hat,  out 
doors,  and  raining  pitchforks.  Smith  intends  to 
attack  by  the  rear  at  daylight,  before  Santy  Annie 
gets  down  from  up  the  road;  asks  for  a  frontal 
attack  at  same  time  to  help  him  out.  So  I  guess 
we'll  all  be  in  it,  for  Twiggs  '11  need  every  man." 

A  little  silence  fell  on  the  group.  Jerry's  heart 
beat  rapidly.  The  situation  seemed  serious. 

"  I  pity  those  poor  fellows  yonder  acrost  the 
lava,"  Sergeant  Mulligan  uttered.  "  Hark  to  the 
rain,  now!  It's  a  crool  night.  An'  they've  been 
marchin'  an'  fightin'  all  the  long  day,  an'  likely  the 
most  of  'em  are  lyin'  out  soakin'  wet  an'  hungry 
besides.  Did  we  lose  many,  have  you  heard?  " 

"  Haven't  heard  exactly,  sergeant.  The  batteries 
lost  fifteen  officers  and  men  and  thirteen  horses.  The 
infantry  got  off  better,  for  the  batteries  took  the 

brunt  of  it.  But  to-morrow .  You  see,  at  San 

Augustine  there  are  only  the  Marines  and  Second 
Pennsylvania;  and  here  we  are.  That's  the  reserve, 
except  the  dragoons — and  they're  no  good  on  the 
lava.  Twiggs  has  only  the  Ninth  and  Twelfth 
Regulars  of  Pierce's  brigade  in  Pillow's  Third  Divi- 


FACING  THE  MEXICAN  HOST 

sion  in  front  of  Valencia.  To  make  a  proper  diver- 
sion there  and  support  Smith  and  mebbe  hold  off 
Santy  Annie  he'll  need  help.  I'll  go  you  a  month's 
pay  we'll  be  called  on  before  daylight." 

"  Faith,  if  we're  in  for  a  fight,  I  mane  to  sleep," 
Sergeant  Mulligan  growled. 

The  group  broke  up.  Jerry  crept  back  to  bed. 
He  scarcely  had  dropped  off  into  an  uneasy  sleep 
himself  when  the  galloping  hoofs  of  a  horse  aroused 
him — just  as  if  he  had  been  expecting  the  very  thing. 

The  horse  passed  the  barn  in  a  hurry;  bound 
for  Colonel  Garland's  headquarters,  perhaps.  Or- 
ders !  In  five  minutes  the  sentry  on  post  outside  the 
barn  challenged  again : 

"  Who  comes  there?  " 

A  voice  answered  shortly.  Then  the  door 
opened,  and  the  same  voice — that  of  Adjutant 
Nichols — shouted : 

"  Men !  Men !  Wake  up,  all  hands !  First  ser- 
geants, parade  your  companies  and  call  the  rolls  im- 
mediately. The  officers  will  then  take  command.'1 


XVII 

CLEARING  THE  ROAD  TO  THE  CAPITAL 

THERE  was  something  in  the  ring  of  the  adju- 
tant's voice  which  wakened  every  man  in  a  jiffy, 
as  though  they  all  had  been  dreaming  of  battle. 

"  Beat  the  long  roll,  drummers!  " 

But  already  the  vast  room  was  astir  with  voices 
and  figures.  Fires  were  being  kicked  together,  lan- 
terns and  candles  being  lighted;  the  companies 
formed  in  half  darkness;  they  called  off.  Outside, 
the  rain  was  still  pouring.. 

"  Where  we  going  now  ?  " 

"  What  time  is  it,  anyhow  ?  " 

"Two  o'clock,  my  lad." 

"  B'jabers,  we'll  nade  cat's  eyes." 

"  Weel,  there'll  be  licht  enow  whin  the  pow- 
der burns." 

"  Be  it  to  San  Antonio  or  to  Contreras,  I 
wonder." 

"  What  difference  to  you,  whether  up  the  road 
or  down?  " 

"  'Tis  to  Contreras,  wid  this  early  start.  I'm 
thinkin'." 

"  An'  do  we  go  on  empty  stomicks?  " 

"  We're  to  help  out  the  other  lads  at  Contreras, 
boys,"  said  a  sergeant.  "  Five  or  six  miles  is  all. 
So  what  does  the  matter  of  an  empty  stomach  count  ? 
You  can  eat  from  your  haversacks  as  we  march; 
and  by  breakfast  time  we'll  be  sampling  the  camp 
fare  of  those  Mexicans.  We'll  be  fair  in  time  for 

31$ 


CLEARING  THE  ROAD  TO  THE  CAPITAL 

breakfast  with  'em,  and  the  fires  '11  all  be  made  co 
save  us  the  trouble." 

The  company  officers  had  bustled  in;  got  the 
reports  from  the  first  sergeants.  There  were  orders. 

"Company  A,  by  the  left  flank!  Left— face! 
For'd— march ! " 

"Company  B,  by  the  left  flank!  Left— face! 
For'd — march !  Right  oblique — march !  " 

And  so  on.  Thus  they  all  filed  out  of  the  barn 
door  into  the  rain  and  the  darkness,  where  the  regi- 
mental officers  were  waiting. 

"  By  company,  into  line — march !  Left  wheel — 
march!  Company — halt!  Right — dress!" 

"  Sure,  how  can  a  man  right  dress  when  he 
can't  see?" 

"  Silence  in  the  ranks !  '* 

"  Form  platoons — quick — march!  " 

"Close  up  on  the  leading  company,  captains!" 

It  was  a  jumble.  Jerry  found  his  place  with  the 
rest  of  the  music  by  guesswork. 

"  Is  that  you,  Jerry?  "  little  Mike  Malloy,  drum- 
mer of  Company  A,  whispered.  His  teeth  were 
chattering. 

"Yes,  Mike." 

"  An'  are  we  goin'  into  battle?  " 

"  Looks  like  it,  Mike." 

"Oh,  murther  "  Mike  groaned.  "We'll  all  be  dead 
wid  cold  before  we  get  kilt  entoirely  wid  bullets." 

"  Battalion,  forward — route  step — march  1  Close 
up,  men;  close  up,"  shouted  Major  Lee.  "  Don't 
straggle.  Drum  major,  sound  a  march." 

"  How  can  we  sound  a  march  wid  the  drums 
soaked  an'  the  fifes  drownded  ?  "  Mike  complained. 
219 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

The  First  Brigade  was  in  motion,  marching  back 
down  the  road  for  San  Augustine.  The  music  proved 
a  dismal  failure.  Presently,  stumbling  and  slipping 
in  the  mud,  with  clothes  and  knapsacks  weighing  a 
ton  to  the  man,  the  column  was  passing  the  camp  of 
the  Second  Brigade.  The  Second  Brigade's  fires 
had  long  been  quenched,  but  sentries  could  be  dimly 
seen;  beside  the  road  figures  were  lying  rolled  in 
blankets,  lights  were  glimmering  feebly  in  the  guard 
tent  and  brigade  headquarter 's  tent. 

The  Second  Brigade  was  not  going !  The  First 
Brigade  had  been  selected!  Hooray!  And  the 
Clarke  men  would  be  sick  when  they  knew.  Jerry 
chuckled  to  himself,  thinking  of  Hannibal,  who  was 
missing  out.  At  the  same  time  he  wondered  whether 
he  would  see  Hannibal  again.  But  General  Worth 
was  with  the  First.  His  voice  had  been  heard.  And 
no  doubt  Old  Fuss  and  Feathers  was  impatiently 
waiting,  bent  upon  victory. 

Slosh,  slosh,  slide  and  stumble,  in  the  downpour 
and  the  blackness. 

"  Close  up,  men !    Close  up !    Keep  in  touch." 

After  what  seemed  to  be  a  long,  long  time  they 
were  trudging  heavily  through  silent  San  Augustine, 
south  of  the  lava  field.  Except  for  cavalry  pickets,  it 
appeared  to  be  deserted.  The  reserve  there — the 
Marines  and  Second  Pennsylvania — had  gone.  Gen- 
eral Scott  of  course  had  gone.  All  the  infantry  and 
artillery  were  being  gathered  at  Contreras  for  a 
decisive  fight. 

Slosh,  slosh,  slide  and  stumble  and  grumble. 
After  another  long  time  the  darkness  began  to  thin. 
Pretty  soon  the  column  might  see  the  muddy  road 


CLEARING  THE  ROAD  TO  THE  CAPITAL 

and  the  outskirts.  The  clouds  were  breaking  over  the 
mountains  in  the  south  and  the  lava  field  in  the  north. 
The  road  was  thickly  marked  by  footprints  and  by 
furrows  filled  with  water,  where  the  artillery  wheels 
had  cut  deeply. 

The  way  veered  sharply  north  into  the  lava  field, 
amidst  curious  ashy  cones  high  with  flat  tops  as  if 
they  had  burst  open ;  the  brush  had  been  hacked  down 
and  leveled  and  crushed.  General  Worth  and  staff 
spurred  ahead.  The  sun  was  reddening  the  east. 
Jerry  could  see  the  men's  faces,  pinched  and  dirty, 
white  and  unshaven.  The  ranks  were  panting — their 
shoes  clogged  with  mud,  their  uniforms  drenched 
and  smeared,  their  guns  and  knapsacks  dripping. 
How  far  were  Contreras  and  the  Mexican  army  now  ? 
A  fight  would  be  warming,  if  nothing  else.  Any 
instant  a  halt  might  be  ordered  to  recharge  the 
muskets  and  get  ready. 

Hark !  The  fresh  morning  air  was  set  atremble 
by  another  roll  of  cannon  and  musketry  fire.  Smoke 
arose  before,  maybe  two  miles  distant  in  the  north- 
west. The  battle  had  opened  again ;  the  men  strained 
forward.  Adjutant  Nichols  galloped  back  along 
the  ranks. 

"  Hurry,  men !  At  the  double !  Sound  the 
double,  there,  drum  major!  Come,  come,  men! 
Double  time — march!" 

Colonel  Garland  had  turned  and  shouted  and 
waved  his  sword.  Jerry  essayed  to  join  in  beating 
double  time.  The  men  tried  to  respond.  They 
surged  into  a  shambling  trot,  but  they  could  not  keep 
it  up  on  the  slippery  road,  carrying  their  soaked 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

clothes  and  knapsacks,  their  muskets  and  mud- 
laden  shoes. 

They  grunted  and  panted  and  wheezed  and  stum- 
bled. The  firing  had  increased  under  the  smoke 
cloud.  It  continued  furiously  for  about  a  quarter 
of  an  hour,  while  the  First  Brigade  toiled  at  its  best 
and  the  officers  urged.  Then  the  battle  tumult  died 
almost  as  quickly  as  it  had  been  born;  and  there 
were  cheers,  instead,  not  the  shrill  "  Vivas  "  of  the 
Mexicans,  but  the  hearty  "  Huzzahs  "  from  Ameri- 
can throats. 

"  Hurrah,  boys !  The  works  are  taken.  Hear 
that?  It's  victory!" 

"  Huzzah,  huzzah,  huzzah !  " 

The  column  actually  quickened  pace  over  the  wet 
brush  and  lava  rocks,  with  faces  flushed  by  excite- 
ment. The  sun  beams  touched  the  tips  of  the  lava 
cones — and  see !  Away  off  there,  where  the  smoke 
cloud  swirled  in  the  morning  breeze,  the  Stars  and 
Stripes  gleamed  from  the  top  of  a  hill.  The  firing 
still  persisted,  lessened  by  distance,  as  if  the  Mexi- 
cans were  being  pursued  northward. 

Here  came  General  Worth,  splashing  recklessly 
down  the  rough  trail,  his  horse  lathered  with  sweat, 
his  dark,  handsome  face  shining  as  he  waved  his  hat. 

"  Contreras  is  taken.  Halt  your  column, 
colonel."  Then  his  face  stiffened.  "  What's  this, 
sir?  The  orders  were  to  leave  the  knapsacks  on  a 
forced  march.  Now  instead  of  being  fresh  for  a 
hard  day's  fight  my  men  are  broken  down  already ! 
This  is  no  way  to  bring  soldiers  upon  the  field. 
Counter-march,  sir,  as  soon  as  possible,  to  our  old 
position,  and  await  further  orders  to  advance  on  the 


CLEARING  THE  ROAD  TO  THE  CAPITAL 

enemy.  Deposit  the  knapsacks  there  and  let  the  men 
rest,  sir." 

He  spoke  loudly  and  angrily.  Colonel  Garland 
answered  not  a  word,  but  whitened  and  saluted.  The 
general  had  been  heard  by  half  the  brigade.  They 
gave  him  a  cheer.  He  was  a  leader  to  be  depended 
upon  when  it  was  a  matter  of  fighting.  Rather  ner- 
vous, beforehand,  but  a  reliable  commander  in 
the  field. 

Now  for  San  Antonio,  no  doubt.  Back  they  were 
marched,  through  the  mud,  five  miles — and  every 
foot  of  the  way  they  feared  that  the  Second  Brigade 
might  be  in  ahead  of  them,  after  all.  But  it  was  not. 
It  was  only  under  arms.  They  exchanged  cheers 
with  it,  as  grimy  and  tired  and  hungry  they  plodded 
by.  Jerry  saw  Hannibal  standing,  drum  slung,  in 
the  field-music  ranks  of  the  Eighth,  and  reported  to 
him  with  a  flourish  of  the  arm. 

At  the  old  camping  place,  near  the  big  barn,  the 
First  Brigade  took  time  to  swallow  hot  coffee,  scrape 
some  of  the  mud  off,  and  dry  in  the  warm  sunshine. 
But  all  too  soon  orders  were  given  to  fall  in,  with 
blanket  rolls,  and  with  two  days'  rations  of  beef  and 
bread  in  the  haversacks.  The  lieutenants  and  first 
sergeants  passed  along  behind  the  ranks,  inspecting 
every  cartridge  box,  weeding  out  the  cartridges  that 
looked  wet,  and  inserting  fresh  ones.  The  loads 
were  withdrawn  from  the  muskets;  dry  loads  were 
rammed  home.  Serious  business  was  ahead. 

The  ranks  were  closed.  The  regimental  com- 
manders made  short  speeches  to  their  men.  Major 
Francis  Lee  addressed  the  Fourth. 

"  Men,"  he  said,  "  we  are  going  into  battle.  The 
223 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

First  Division  has  the  honor  of  forcing  San  Antonio 
from  the  front,  to  open  the  road  for  the  heavy  artil- 
lery, while  the  Pillow  new  regiments  are  taking  it 
in  reverse  or  at  the  rear.  But  they  have  the  longer 
way  to  come,  from  Contreras,  and  the  First  Division 
must  get  in  first.  Then  we  shall  push  right  on  to 
Churubusco  and  join  the  fight  there." 

"Huzzah!    Huzzah!" 

"  We  have  good  news  to  support  us,  and  do  not 
need  any  help  from  the  Pillow  men," 

"No,  no!" 

"  Contreras  entrenchments  were  taken  in  seven- 
teen minutes  by  only  two  thousand  men.  The  Riley 
Brigade  of  the  Second  Division,  composed  of  the 
Second  and  Seventh  Infantry,  the  Fourth'  Artillery, 
with  the  Rifles  added,  took  it  alone  at  the  point  of 
the  bayonet.  General  Cadwalader's  Eleventh  Infan- 
try and  Voltiguers  followed  close.  The  remainder 
of  the  Second  Division,  being  the  Third  Infantry  and 
First  Artillery,  led  by  Major  Dimick  in  place  of 
General  Persifor  Smith,  who  commanded  the  whole 
movement,  arrived  in  time  to  break  the  last  resistance, 
and  the  rout  was  received  by  General  Shield's  New 
Yorkers  and  Palmettos  on  the  road  north.  But  the 
colors  of  the  Seventh  Infantry  were  again  the  first  to 
be  raised.  The  Fourth  Artillery  captured  two  of  its 
guns  that  had  been  lost  at  Buena  Vista  last  spring. 
The  entire  Mexican  force  of  seven  thousand  troops, 
called  the  '  flower  of  the  Mexican  army/  was  dis- 
persed, leaving  two  thousand  dead,  wounded  and 
prisoners,  all  the  artillery,  ammunition,  provisions, 
and  the  military  chest.  Our  own  loss  is  less  than 
sixty.  The  only  fortified  points  between  us  and 
224 


CLEARING  THE  ROAD  TO  THE  CAPITAL 

the  capital,  seven  short  miles,  are  San  Antonio  and 
Churubusco;  and  these  are  being  enveloped  by  the 
victors  of  Contreras.  Let  us  push  on,  so  that  our 
comrades  of  the  other  divisions  shall  not  do  all  the 
fighting.  Now,  three  cheers  for  victory !  " 

They  cheered  thunderously.  The  drums  rolled. 
The  two  other  regiments — Second  and  Third  Artil- 
lery— were  cheering.  But  see !  The  Second  Brigade 
had  passed — was  obliquing  out  over  the  lava  field, 
on  the  west  or  left,  as  if  to  make  circuit  and  attack 
the  enemy's  flank.  The  ranks  and  their  flags  dipped 
amidst  the  sharp  ridges. 

"  Companies,  right  wheel — march !  Forward, 
quick — march !  " 

Huzzah !  The  First  Brigade  also  was  off.  The 
time  was  about  eight  o'clock  in  this  morning  of 
August  20. 

In  a  few  minutes  the  breastworks  of  San  An- 
tonio village  were  plainly  visible  not  half  a  mile 
up  the  road.  They  extended  to  the  lava  on  the  west ; 
on  the  east  they  stretched  through  marshy  ground  in 
shape  of  a  long  quarter  circle  bending  back  so  as 
to  front  the  bogs  of  the  lake. 

The  lava  side  was  bad  enough,  but  the  other  side 
was  worse.  The  First  Brigade  kept  on  by  the  road. 

"Fourth  Battalion,  by  the  left  flank — march! 
Hurry  up,  men ! " 

Assistant  Adjutant-General  Mackall,  of  the  divi- 
sion staff,  had  shouted.  The  ranks  of  the  Fourth  im- 
mediately left-faced.  In  double  file  they  scrambled 
down  from  the  high  road  and  formed  company  front 
again  in  the  muddy  cornfield  that  lay  between  the 
road  and  the  lava  field. 

15  225 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

"  Battalion,  forward — quick  time — march !  " 
The  drums  tapped  quick  time.  Now  the  Second 
Brigade  was  well  out  in  the  lava,  its  line  of  battle 
resembling  a  great  flock  of  goats.  The  Fourth  In- 
fantry was  next,  at  the  same  side  of  the  road  but 
below,  hurrying  through  the  boggy  cornfield.  The 
remainder  of  the  First  Brigade  stretched  across  the 
road  and  was  forging  straight  on. 

"Bang!  Bang!  Bangity-bang-bang-bang-g-g-g !" 
The  Second  Brigade  was  in  action — perhaps  driv- 
ing the  Mexican  skirmishers.     Hannibal  was  there 
with  the  Eighth.    The  firing  increased  to  battle  din ; 
cheers  echoed,  smoke  drifted,  and  in  the  corn  the 
Fourth  Infantry  could  see  little  except  the  green 
stalks  and  the  mud  and  the  ditches  that  had  been  cut. 
"  Trail  arms !    Double  time — march !  " 
How  they  hustled,  almost  dead  with  the  ten  and 
more  miles  marched  already,  and  with  stomachs 
curiously  empty  again.     Beating  the  double,  Jerry 
and  the  other  drummers  had  hard  work  to  hold 
their  places.    They  and  the  fifers  formed  two  ranks 
behind  the  left  center  company;  this  was  the  field 
music  position  in  order  of  battle. 
"  Battalion,  ready !    Stoop,  men !  " 
The  musket  locks  clicked.    Close  before,  between 
the  stalks  of  corn,  breastworks  could  be  seen,  the 
muzzles  of  cannon  staring  blackly.    The  Mexicans 
were  reserving  their  fire  here;  but  out  to  the  left 
the  firing  had  grown  fiercer  and  was  traveling  on 
toward  San  Antonio.     Farther  in  the  north  other 

firing  swelled  louder  and  louder.     But  here ! 

Why  didn't  the  Mexican  breastworks  open?    Any- 
226 


CLEARING  THE  ROAD  TO  THE  CAPITAL 

thing  was  better  than  this  suspense,  when  a  sheet 
of  flame  was  expected  every  moment! 

"  Forward,  men !  Forward !  Steady !  "  And 
suddenly :  "  Fourth  Infantry — charge !  " 

"Hooray!    Huzzah!    Huzzah!" 

The  drums  beat  the  charge,  Jerry  pounding  lustily 
as  he  ran.  The  men  yelled — a  Cerro  Gordo  shout. 
They  stumbled,  fell,  splashed  into  ditches  four  feet 
wide.  Lieutenant  Grant  was  running  and  waving  his 
sword  in  front  of  his  company.  All  the  officers  were 
cheering  on  their  men.  The  breastworks  loomed 
higher,  the  cannon  muzzles  gaped  wider. 

The  line  swept  on ;  the  front  rank  began  to  climb 
— the  men  slipping  and  clutching  and  clinging,  and 
ever  advancing  their  muskets  to  pull  trigger.  Over 
they  went  with  yells  renewed ;  up  and  over  went  the 
rear  rank,  and  over  went  the  fifers  and  drummers, 
tumbling  into  the  cheering  mass. 

The  breastworks  were  empty.  Onward  extended 
the  road,  with  the  Mexican  artillery  and  infantry, 
mingling  with  horses  and  women,  legging  pellmell 
in  a  mass  for  San  Antonio  town — through  the  little 
town  and  out  again. 

"On,  men!    On!" 

Now  it  was  a  race.  Look !  The  Second  Brigade 
was  closing  in  and  firing.  So  rapidly  it  descended 
from  the  lava,  beyond  the  village,  that  it  struck  the 
rout  right  in  the  middle — cut  the  mass  in  two.  The 
first  portion  broke  and  fled  east,  across  the  fields; 
the  Second  Brigade  halted  in  the  gap,  while  the  other 
half  of  the  Mexicans  scurried  faster  up  the  road 
for  Churubusco. 

The  Fourth  Infantry  joined  the  Second  Brigade 
227 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

at  the  instant  when  the  remainder  of  the  First  Bri- 
gade came  in.  Everybody  was  laughing  and  cheer- 
ing, but  there  was  no  time  to  be  lost. 

"  To  the  color !  Beat  to  the  color,  drummers ! 
Battalions,  form  companies !  Forward — double  time 
—march!" 

The  First  Division  ran  on.  The  whole  elevated 
road  before  was  a  sight.  The  two  miles  to  Churu- 
busco,  lined  by  shade  trees,  was  a  solid  jumble  of 
Mexicans — infantry,  artillery,  lancers,  camp  fol- 
lowers and  baggage  wagons,  flying  for  dear  life. 
Wounded  were  dropping  out,  guns  were  being  aban- 
doned, teamsters  and  cannoneers  were  lashing  their 
horses.  It  was  a  rout  indeed. 

And  yonder  in  the  northwest  another  rout  pelted 
in:  Santa  Anna's  reserves,  from  near  Contreras, 
pursued  hotly  by  the  Twiggs  Second  Division,  all 
aiming  for  Churubusco. 

The  First  Division  was  right  upon  the  heels  of  the 
San  Antonio  fugitives.  The  men  were  wild  with 
excitement;  nobody  thought  now  of  weariness. 


XVIII 

IN  THE  CHARGE  AT  CHURUBUSCO 

CHURUBUSCO,  into  which  the  Mexicans  from  the 
south  and  from  the  west  were  pouring,  bristled  with 
defenses.  They  seemed  to  be  mainly  on  the  left 
or  west  of  the  road.  First,  there  was  the  straggling 
village,  half  encircled  by  breastworks,  with  an  im- 
mense stone  church  rising  high  above  everything, 
and  already  spouting  smoke  from  its  cannon  mounted 
upon  the  walls  and  the  flat  roof.  There  were  corn- 
fields and  fruit  trees  upon  both  sides  of  the  road,  and 
beyond  the  church  there  was  a  stone  bridge  carrying 
the  road  across  what  appeared  to  be  a  large  canal, 
reaching  from  the  lake  on  the  east  into  the  corn- 
fields and  meadows  of  the  west  It  was  at  least 
a  mile  in  length,  piled  with  earth  on  either  bank, 
like  a  dike,  and  absolutely  filled  with  infantry  and 
artillery,  protected  by  the  earthern  parapets. 

The  end  of  the  bridge  in  front  of  the  earthworks, 
at  the  middle  of  the  dike,  had  been  built  up  into  a 
regular  stone  fort,  containing  a  battery  under  cover. 
While  farther  on,  occupying  the  road  after  it  had  left 
the  village  and  the  bridge,  there  were  thousands 
more  infantry  and  lancers,  swelled  by  the  Santa 
Anna  force. 

The  column  had  halted,  the  men  ceased  cheering, 
and  General  Worth  and  staff  surveyed  Churubusco 
through  their  glasses. 

It  was  an  anxious  moment.  The  enemy  certainly 
numbered  twenty  thousand,  well  stationed.  The 
229 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

bridgehead  and  the  dike  had  opened  with  cannon  balls 
which  came  ricocheting  down  the  road  and  splashed 
the  mud  and  water  of  the  cornfields.  But  the  men 
paid  little  attention  to  them.  Hooray!  Here  was 
General  Pillow,  at  last,  with  the  General  Calwala- 
der  brigade  of  Voltigeurs  and  Eleventh  and  Four- 
teenth Infantry — toiling  in  from  the  west  and  uniting 
with  the  First  Division  on  the  road.  He  had 
arrived  too  late  for  San  Antonio,  but  was  in  time 
for  Churubusco. 

The  men  were  growing  impatient  Within  a  few 
minutes  the  gunfire  from  Churubusco  had  risen  deaf- 
ening. The  church  was  being  attacked;  it  fairly 
vomited  smoke  and  shot  and  shell;  every  inch  of  it 
seemed  alive.  The  fields  to  the  west  of  it  were  an- 
swering. Infantry  in  thin  lines  could  be  seen  stealing 
forward ;  a  battery  was  hammering  hard. 

"Twiggs!  Old  Davy's  there,  with  Taylor's 
battery!" 

How  the  men  knew,  nobody  could  tell ;  but  know 
they  did.  The  word  passed  that  General  Persifor 
Smith's  First  Artillery  and  Third  Infantry  were 
attacking  the  church.  They  appeared  to  be  suffering, 
for  they  were  within  point-blank  range  of  the  roof- 
top and  the  cupola,  and  had  no  cover  except  the  corn. 

Another  brigade — Colonel  Riley's  Second  and 
Seventh  Infantry — was  hastening  to  the  support  of 
General  Smith.  The  firing  had  spread  to  the  north, 
as  if  an  attack  was  being  made  all  along  the  line  of 
the  road.  The  time  was  nearing  noon  but  the  smoke 
welled  in  such  a  cloud  that  it  hid  the  sun.  Amidst  the 
terrific  uproar  of  artillery  and  small-arms  the  orders 
230 


IN  THE  CHARGE  AT  CHURUBUSCO 

of  the  First  Division  officers  could  scarcely  be  heard, 
here  half  a  mile  away  from  the  battle. 

"  Column,  attention !    Forward— ^march !  " 

The  cannon  balls  tore  in  more  and  more  viciously. 
The  musketry  of  the  bridgehead  also  opened.  Men 
were  falling. 

"  Column,  right  half  wheel — march!  " 

In  column  of  companies  they  left  the  road  and 
descended  into  the  muddy  cornfields  again  on  the 
right.  One  company  stayed  upon  the  road.  It  was 
the  gallant  Sixth  Infantry,  advancing  alone,  moving 
very  steadily,  the  men  gripping  their  muskets  at  right 
shoulder  shift.  The  bluff  old  Major  Bonne ville,  that 
bald-headed  veteran  who,  on  leave  of  absence  in 
1832,  had  been  a  fur  hunter  across  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains, commanded  the  Sixth.  He  was  a  Frenchman, 
but  had  graduated  from  the  Military  Academy  in 
1813,  so  he  was  no  new  hand  at  the  fighting  game. 

TheCadwaladerVoltigeurs  had  been  stationed  in 
reserve.  The  two  other  regiments — the  Eleventh  and 
Fourteenth — had  joined  the  Second  Brigade.  The 
First  Brigade,  Colonel  Garland  leading  a-horse, 
swung  out  wider  to  the  right,  and  on  through  the 
corn,  at  the  double,  came  the  Second  Brigade,  to 
march  between  the  First  Brigade  and  the  road. 

Unless  the  Garland  brigade  hurried,  the  Clarke 
column  would  strike  the  bridgehead  first,  on  the 
shorter  inside  track. 

The  Sixth  Regiment  was  drawing  the  bridge- 
head fire.  The  companies  were  rushing  forward, 
muskets  at  a  ready,  but  they  met  such  a  storm  of  iron 
and  lead  that  they  crumpled,  stopped,  and  firing 
furiously,  took  shelter  along  the  sides  of  the  road. 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

"  On  the  first  battalion,  deploy  column !  Battal- 
ions, right  face — quick — march !  " 

It  was  a  wonder  that  the  order,  issuing  from  the 
red  face  of  Adjutant  Nichols,  could  be  heard  at  all. 
The  First  Brigade  extended  to  the  right  at  a  run, 
and  front- faced  on  line  of  battle.  Jerry  and  the  field 
music  of  the  Fourth  were  behind  again;  now  the 
positions  of  the  lieutenants  was  two  paces  in  the  rear 
of  the  rear  rank  of  their  companies.  It  chanced 
that  Lieutenant  Grant  was  directly  before  Jerry's 
place  in  the  rank  of  drummers.  Jerry  kept  an  eye 
upon  him. 

These  cornfields  were  cut  by  ditches  of  water  as 
the  others  had  been.  The  double  line  grew  ragged 
as  the  men  leaped  the  ditches.  The  bridgehead  and 
the  dike  were  firing — with  patter  and  hiss  the  grape- 
shot  and  bullets  ripped  through  the  corn.  The  Mexi- 
can works  were  higher  than  the  cornfield,  so  that 
the  division's  advance  could  be  seen  while  the  Mexi- 
.cans  themselves  were  concealed. 

Oh,  but  it  was  frightful  in  that  cornfield !  "  Cen- 
ter guide,  men!  Keep  up  with  the  colors.  Center 
guide!"  Lieutenant  Grant  and  the  other  officers 
shouted  constantly.  The  color  guard  of  the  regiment 
pressed  stanchly,  braced  and  holding  the  Stars  and 
Stripes  and  the  flag  of  the  Fourth  Infantry  above 
the  murderous  hail.  Men  were  falling  fast;  they 
plunged,  or  reeled  and  sank,  some  of  them  in  the 
mud  and  some  of  them  into  the  v/ater.  As  quickly 
as  gaps  occurred  in  the  front  rank,  men  from  the 
second  rank  sprang  forward  and  filled  the  spaces. 
The  corn  bowed  to  the  withering  blast.  Ahead, 
Mexicans  were  jumping  up  and  dodging1  for  coyer 
232 


IN  THE  CHARGE  AT  CHURUBUSCO 

after  firing.  The  enemy's  skirmishers  were  being 
dislodged  from  their  holes. 

What  a  noise!  Thousands  of  guns,  large  and 
small,  near  and  far,  speaking  at  once!  The  whole 
American  army,  except  a  tiny  reserve,  was  engaged 
with  the  whole  Mexican  army  in  the  field.  It  was 
a  fight  to  a  finish  of  eight  thousand  against  twenty 
thousand.  Somewhere  General  Scott  directed.  It 
was  safe  to  say  that  Old  Fuss  and  Feathers  knew  just 
what  was  going  to  happen;  his  plans  had  been  made; 
and  although  the  First  Division,  with  the  help  of 
General  Cadwalader's  two  regiments,  seemed  to 
have  been  given  the  toughest  job  in  the  taking  of 
the  bridgehead  and  the  opening  of  the  road,  Jerry 
for  one  had  not  the  slightest  doubt  of  the  result. 
The  Mexicans  would  be  threshed,  of  course. 

On  surged  the  double  line  and  on;  bending  and 
weaving  and  staggering,  but  ever  on.  The  wounded 
and  the  dead  were  left.  There  was  blood,  and 
ghastly  sights.  A  bullet  sang  so  close  over  Jerry's 
head  that  he  ducked.  A  shower  of  grape  spattered 
all  around  him.  Drum  Major  Brown  was  down — 
his  leg  had  collapsed  under  him. 

"  Never  mind  me,  boys." 

Jerry  heard  a  cry — "  Help !  For  th'  love  o' 
Hiven,  help,  wan  o'  yez !  " 

He  glanced  behind.  Corporal  Finerty  was  bleed- 
ing and  struggling,  on  hands  and  knees,  in  a  ditch 
with  the  water  almost  over  him.  Jerry  hustled  back 
and  dragged  him  out ;  then  ran  forward.  It  was  no 
joke  being  a  drummer  boy  in  a  battle,  for  a  fellow 
could  do  little  with  a  musician's  short  sword  fit  only 
for  frying  bacon. 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

"  Double  time,  men !    Hurrah !  " 

How  they  all  panted,  and  what  a  sight  they  were, 
muddy  and  smeared  with  blood  and  sweat. 

"  Commence — firing !  " 

"  Huzzah !    Give  'em  Yankee  Doodle,  boys !  " 

The  darkly  scowling  faces  of  the  rows  of  Mexi- 
cans behind  the  dike  breastworks  could  be  seen. 
Their  white  teeth  flashed  from  their  lips  parted  in 
the  swarthy  countenances  flattened  against  the  gun- 
stocks.  The  musket  muzzles  belched  smoke ;  so  did 
the  cannon  of  the  bridgehead  to  the  left.  The  sol- 
diers in  front  of  Jerry  were  aiming,  firing,  pausing 
to  load — to  tear  their  paper  cartridges  with  their 
teeth,  dump  a  little  of  the  powder  into  the  opened 
pan  under  the  raised  flint,  pour  the  rest  into  the  muz- 
zle, ram  the  paper  and  the  three  buckshot  and 
a  ball  home  with  the  ramrod;  aim,  fire,  and  run 
again,  loading. 

The  blue  line  was  slowly  moving  in.  The  men 
worked  like  Trojans.  Now  the  buttons  of  the  rows 
of  red-capped  Mexicans  were  showing,  so  near  were 
the  trenches.  Jerry  stumbled  along  right  behind 
Lieutenant  Grant,  who  never  ceased  shouting,  never 
ducked  nor  dodged,  and  somehow  had  not  been 
hit  yet. 

The  First  Brigade  advance  had  come  to  a  stand- 
still, while  the  ranks  fired  more  rapidly.  The  Mexi- 
cans were  leaking  away — wounded  and  staggering, 
or  running  scot  free,  A  tremendous  cheer  arose 
above  even  the  other  tumult.  The  Second  Brigade 
was  into  the  bridgehead !  A  torrent  of  blue  blouses, 
firing  and  charging  with  the  bayonet,  the  officers 
leading  and  waving,  had  crossed  a  wide  ditch  at  its 
234 


IN  THE  CHARGE  AT  CHURUBUSCO 

base  on  this  side.  The  men  were  diving  in  through 
the  battery  embrasures  or  scaling  the  walls  like  cats. 
In  they  went — in  by  the  road  went  the  Sixth  Infan- 
try. The  flags  of  the  Eighth  and  Fifth  disappeared 
over  the  top;  soon  the  flag  of  the  Sixth  was  dancing 
to  meet  them.  Out  boiled  the  Mexicans,  artillery 
and  infantry,  and  streamed  in  a  tossing  tide  up  the 
bridge  and  into  the  north,  or  else  into  the  trenches  on 
the  west.  The  bridgehead  had  been  taken  by  front 
and  side. 

"  Now,  men !    On !    Charge  I  " 

"  The  bayonet;  lads !  The  cowld  steel !  "  shrieked 
old  Sergeant  Mulligan  to  Company  B. 

The  drummers  beat  the  charge;  with  a  volley 
and  a  yell  the  Fourth  Infantry  and  all  the  line  ran 
for  the  dike.  The  Mexicans  in  it  answered  with  one 
volley;  out  they  bolted.  Right  through  the  canal, 
shoulder  deep  with  mud  and  water,  the  men  scram- 
bled, and  leaped  over  the  other  bank.  The  Mexican 
red-caps,  throwing  away  muskets  and  knapsacks, 
were  frantically  crowding  the  built-up  road  where 
it  crossed  the  lowlands  beyond  the  bridge. 

The  bridgehead  had  been  the  key.  The  enemy's 
left  was  emptied ;  the  trenches  along  the  dike  west  of 
the  road  were  still  fighting,  but  Duncan's  battery 
had  come  into  action.  It  had  been  unable  to  advance 
through  the  cornfields;  had  continued  by  the  road, 
under  cover  of  a  mass  of  abandoned  wagons  from 
San  Antonio.  It  was  firing  from  the  road — never 
had  guns  been  served  faster.  The  four  pieces  made 
one  continuous  roar,  cannonading  the  west  trenches 
that  reached  all  the  way  to  the  great  stone  church  set 
in  the  midst  of  other  field  works. 
235 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

The  bridgehead's  captured  guns  also  were  being 
turned.  That  was  too  hot  for  the  Mexicans.  Out 
they,  too,  boiled,  fleeing  madly  through  the  fields 
to  the  rear. 

Duncan's  battery  and  a  four-pounder  in  the 
bridgehead  changed  to  the  church  and  battered  the 
walls.  The  Second  Division,  with  Taylor's  battery 
of  the  First  Artillery,  was  still  battering  from  the 
other  side.  A  white  flag  fluttered  in  the  smoke  upon 
the  church's  flat  roof.  It  vanished — it  had  been 
hauled  down.  Now  the  Second  Division  line  sprang 
to  its  feet  and  charged.  The  church  was  surrounded 
by  double  walls — the  blue  figures  mounted  the  first 
wall — the  church  cupola  was  crumbling  under  the 
solid  shot — the  church  was  about  to  be  taken — no! 
The  wall  was  cleared  by  the  Mexican  sharp-shooters 
upon  the  roof.  Yes !  The  wall  filled  again,  the  men 
vaulted  over  and  down  and  rushed  for  the  second 
wall — the  sharp-shooters  were  leaping  from  the  cu- 
pola and  off  the  roof — the  Mexican  cannon  had  been 
silenced — there  were  more;  white  flags — "  Cease  fir- 
ing!" pealed  the  artillery  bugles,  for  the  standard 
of  the  Third  Infantry,  blue  and  gold,  had  unfurled 
from  the  balcony.  In  a  moment  the  standard  of  the 
First  Artillery  was  displayed  beside  it. 

The  First  Division,  jumbled  all  together,  the  men 
cheering  and  waving  and  even  crying  with  joy,  had 
paused  to  watch — had  paused  for  orders,  maybe,  to 
assault  the  church  itself.  Jerry  found  himself 
grabbed  by  Hannibal — a  grimy,  excited  Hannibal, 
wild  with  excitement,  like  the  rest. 

"  We  did  it,  we  did  it !  Hooray !  And  you  and 
I  aren't  hurt" 

236 


IN  THE  CHARGE  AT  CHURUBUSCO 

"  But  we  lost  a  lot  of  men,"  Jerry  panted. 

"  Fall  in !  Fall  in !  Form  companies.  Beat  the 
rally,  drummers."  Those  were  the  orders.  Hanni- 
bal scooted.  General  Worth  was  waiting  no  longer. 
There  was  heavy  firing  in  the  north,  where  Santa 
Anna  was  standing  off  the  left  of  General  Scott's  line. 

"Who's  yonder?" 

"  Shields  and  his  Mohawks,  and  the  Pierce 
Brigade.  They're  hard  pushed." 

"  Forward — double  time — march !  " 

The  Cadwalader  men  had  joined  again.  They 
had  entered  the  bridgehead  closely  behind  the  Second 
Brigade.  In  column  of  platoons  all  doubled  up  the 
road,  which  was  strewn  with  bodies  and  plunder. 
The  rout  was  on  before  and  extended  as  far  as  eye 
might  see ;  but  a  desperate  battle  was  raging  only  a 
mile  distant. 

The  column  was  in  time;  in  fact,  may  not  have 
been  needed.  The  flight  from  the  bridgehead  and 
the  church  proved  too  much  for  the  Santa  Anna 
soldiers.  General  Pierce's  Ninth,  Twelfth  and  Fif- 
teenth Regulars,  and  General  Shields'  New  Yorkers 
and  South  Carolinans,  two  thousand  men,  were  hav- 
ing a  give-and-take  with  General  Santa  Anna's  re- 
serve of  four  thousand  infantry  and  three  thousand 
lancers.  But  before  the  General  Worth  and  General 
Pillow  column  arrived,  the  Mohawks  were  seen  to 
charge — the  Mexicans  did  not  stand — their  line  wav- 
ered, the  Pierce  Regulars  struck  it  on  right  and  left 
— the  center  burst  apart,  all  the  line  broke  into 
fragments,  fleeing  for  the  road ;  and  when  the  First 
Brigade,  led  by  General  Worth  and  Colonel  Gar- 
land, panted  in  the  Santa  Anna  troops  had  mingled 
237 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

with  the  vast  throng  of  refugees  from  Churubusco. 

The  Pierce  Regulars  and  the  Shields'  Volunteers 
met  the  van  of  the  First  Division. 

"On,  men!    To  the  city!" 

No  time  was  granted  to  the  Mexicans  to  re-form ; 
their  infantry,  artillery  and  camp  followers  jammed 
the  road  and  flowed  out  upon  either  side.  Lancers 
protected  the  rear,  and  threatened  the  pursuit. 
Matters  looked  good.  The  First  Division,  both  of 
General  Pillow's  Third  Division  brigades  (General 
Cadwalader's  and  General  Pierce's),  and  the  Shields 
Mohawks  were  united,  a  victorious  little  army,  and 
cared  nothing  about  the  lancers ;  the  road  to  the  capi- 
tal was  open.  Hooray ! 

But-— 

"Column,  halt!" 

The  drums  beat,  the  bugles  rang. 

The  column  was  two  miles  and  a  half  from 
Churubusco,  and  only  a  mile  and  a  half  from  the 
city  gate.  The  Mexican  rout  had  attempted  no 
stand;  the  foremost  of  its  dense  mob  were  already 
jostling  in.  General  Worth  evidently  was  uncertain 
what  to  do — whether  to  follow  right  on  or  wait  for 
orders.  He  and  General  Pillow  and  General  Shields 
consulted  together,  sitting  their  horses.  Huzzah! 
Huzzah  for  the  dragoons!  Here  they  came  at  a 
gallop,  from  behind,  under  Colonel  Harney,  and  tore 
in  to  General  Worth. 

Colonel  Harney  checked  them  for  a  moment,  and 
exchanged  a  word  with  the  general.  General  Worth 
nodded.  On  spurred  the  little  detachment — Captain 
Phil  Kearny's  company  of  the  First,  half  a  company 
of  the  Second  and  two  companies  of  the  Third. 
238 


IN  THE  CHARGE  AT  CHURUBUSCO 

Captain  Kearny  led.  Their  pennons  streamed,  the 
riders  leaned  forward  in  the  saddles,  sabers  were  out 
and  flashing. 

Plain  to  view  they  struck  the  Mexican  rear  guard 
— dashed  the  lancers  to  one  side  and  the  other,  wield- 
ing their  sabers  cut  a  lane  clear  to  the  city  gate, 
and  disappeared  in  the  midst  of  a  seething  mass. 
Colonel  Harney's  orderly  bugler  pelted  vainly  after, 
blowing  the  recall.  The  Kearny  detachment  did  not 
hear.  The  battery  and  the  muskets  of  the  city  gate 
began  to  fire  upon  friend  and  foe  alike.  It  looked 
as  though  the  dragoons  were  entering  the  gate  itself. 
No— back  they  galloped,  Captain  Kearny  with  his  left 
arm  dangling  and  bloody,  two  other  officers  wounded, 
and  several  troopers  reeling  in  the  saddle. 

An  aide  from  General  Scott  hastened  in  with 
dispatches.  General  Scott  directed  that  the  pursuit 
cease.  The  column  was  counter-marched  a  short  dis- 
tance and  bivouacked.  Dusk  was  descending  from 
the  mountains,  announcing  the  end  of  a  long,  long 
day.  Suddenly  Jerry  and  everybody  else  felt  ex- 
hausted. They  had  been  upon  their  feet  since  before 
daylight ;  had  been  marching  and  fighting  for  sixteen 
hours,  with  not  much  to  eat. 

The  first  thought  was  "  coffee."  As  soon  as 
arms  were  stacked  the  First  Division  bustled  to 
gather  wood.  Down  the  road  other  divisions  were 
doing  the  same.  The  hospital  men  could  be  seen 
searching  the  field  of  battle,  far  and  near*,  for 
the  wounded. 


XIX 

BEFORE  THE  BRISTLING  CITY 

BEFORE  supper  was  finished  the  clouds  had  gath- 
ered; darkness  set  in  early,  with  every  prospect  of 
rain  again ;  the  men  were  still  too  excited  to  lie  down 
— they  collected  in  groups  around  the  campfires  and 
talked  things  over. 

Jerry  simply  had  to  find  Hannibal  and  compare 
notes.  On  his  way  to  the  Second  Brigade  he  met  him 
coming  on.  They  returned  together  to  the  camp- 
fire  line  of  the  Fourth  Regiment  and  squatted  there. 

The  Fourth  Regiment  would  never  be  the  same 
again.  Just  how  many  it  had  lost  in  killed  and 
wounded  was  not  yet  known,  but  in  Jerry's  own  little 
mess  Corporal  Finerty  was  greatly  missed.  He  and 
Drum  Major  Brown  had  been  put  in  hospital  back 
at  Churubusco,  it  was  said,  and  were  due  to  recover. 

All  agreed  that  of  the  Regulars  the  First  Division 
had  suffered  the  most  severely.  In  the  Second  Divi- 
sion, which  attacked  the  church  from  the  open,  the 
First  Artillery  had  lost  five  officers;  the  Second  In- 
fantry had  lost  four;  reports  from  the  Third  and 
Seventh  Infantry  were  not  in. 

There  was  much  praise  for  the  new  Third  Regu- 
lar Division,  and  the  Mohawks,  of  the  Fourth  Divi- 
sion. In  the  Cadwalader  brigade  of  the  Third, 
which  supported  the  First  Division  against  the 
bridgehead,  Lieutenant  J.  F.  Irons,  aide-de-camp 
to  General  Cadwalader,  had  been  killed.  General 
Franklin  Pierce,  leading  the  other  brigade  in  the 
240 


BEFORE  THE  BRISTLING  CITY 

march  to  oust  Santa  Anna,  had  fainted  from  pain. 
That  fall  from  his  horse  at  Contreras  had  proved 
to  be  very  serious.  The  Shields  Mohawks  and  the 
Pierce  Ninth,  Twelfth  and  Fifteenth  Regulars  had 
outbattled  Santa  Anna's  seven  thousand.  The  South 
Carolina  Palmettos  had  formed  center  of  line.  Their 
colonel,  Colonel  P.  M.  Butler,  had  been  wounded, 
had  refused  to  leave,  and  then  had  been  killed ;  their 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Dickinson  had  been  mortally 
wounded  next,  and  Major  Gladden  had  commanded. 
Colonel  Burnett,  of  the  New  Yorkers,  had  been  car- 
ried from  the  field.  So  had  Colonel  Morgan,  of  the 
Fifteenth  Infantry.  Of  the  two  hundred  and  seventy- 
two  Palmettos  in  the  final  charge  one  hundred  and 
thirty-seven  had  fallen.  But  General  Shields  had 
taken  three  hundred  and  eighty  prisoners. 

Out  of  the  seven  cavalry  officers  who  charged 
with  the  one  hundred  dragoons  to  the  city  gates,  three 
had  been  badly  wounded  (Captain  Kearny's  arm  had 
been  amputated  at  the  hospital),  and  Lieutenant 
Ewell  had  had  two  horses  shot  under  him.  Major 
Mills,  of  the  Fifteenth  Infantry,  who  had  joined  as 
a  volunteer,  had  been  killed. 

The  whole  army  had  been  in  action,  except  the 
Second  Pennsylvania  and  the  Marines,  who  had 
been  kept  at  San  Augustine  with  General  Quitman  to 
guard  the  supplies;  and  the  Fourth  Artillery,  who 
had  been  ordered  to  stay  at  Contreras. 

"  'Twas  this  way,"  old  Sergeant  Mulligan  ex- 
plained to  the  listening  group  at  the  campfire :  "  In 
wan  day  we've  done  what  no  mortal  army  ever  did 
afore.  We've  fought  foive  distinct  battles,  by  day- 
tachments,  so  to  speak — eight  thousand  of  us  divided 
1 6  241 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

up  to  lick  thirty  thousand  Mexicans.  An*  lick  'em 
we  did,  ivery  time,  in  spite  o'  their  breastworks  an* 
forts  an*  their  chosin'  their  own  positions.  We  give 
'em  the  field,  an'  then  we  tuk  it.  First  there  was 
Contreras:  thirty- foive  hundred  Americans  ag'in 
seven  thousand  active  enemy  wid  twelve  thousand 
standin'  ready  to  pitch  in.  Second,  there  was  San 
Antonio,  where  twenty-six  hundred  of  us  saw  mainly 
the  backs  oj  thray  thousand.  Third,  the  bridgehead 
an'  thim  entrenchments,  where  we  were  outnumbered 
not  more  'n  two  to  wan ;  an'  fourth,  the  church,  wid 
the  Second  Division  stormin',  say  thray  or  four  to 
wan;  an'  fifth,  the  Gin'ral  Shields  foive  rigiments  of 
belike  two  thousand  breakin'  the  hearts  o'  Gin'ral 
Santy  Annie's  siven  thousand.  Now  I'd  like  to  hear 
whut  Old  Fuss  an'  Feathers  has  to  say." 

"  You'll  hear  him,"  asserted  a  man  from  a  search- 
ing detail,  who  had  come  up  from  the  rear.  "  At 
Cherrybusco  he  is,  still ;  proud  as  a  king,  the  tears  of 
him  choking  his  voice.  He's  thanking  every  division 
in  turn;  he'll  not  forget  the  First  that  opened 
the  way." 

"  And  where  was  he  during  the  fracas?  " 

"  In  the  rear  of  Twiggs,  directing  the  fight  and 
sending  in  the  regiments.  So  fast  he  sent  'em  for- 
ward after  Contreras  that  b'  gorry  he  found  himself 
left  all  alone,  and  had  to  get  some  dragoons  for 
an  escort." 

"  An'  whut  does  he  say  about  the  desarters,  I'm 
wonderin'  ?  " 

£<  Desarters?  "  exclaimed  several  voices. 

"  Sure,  lads.  Sixty-nine  were  taken :  twenty- 
seven  at  the  church  and  the  rest  by  Shields.  The  artil- 
242 


BEFORE  THE  BRISTLING  CITY 

lery  battalion  o'  Saint  Patrick  they're  called — an  in- 
sult to  the  name.  Every  man  once  wore  the  United 
States  uniform,  and  this  day  they  turned  the  guns 
upon  their  own  comrades.  Tom  Riley  is  their  cap- 
tain. The  most  of  'em  desarted  from  Taylor,  in 
north  Mexico,  with  hopes  of  better  pay  and  positions, 
'Twas  they  who  held  out  longest  at  the  church. 
Three  times  they  pulled  down  the  white  flag,  for  they 
well  knew  they  were  in  a  tight  place.  Hanged  they'll 
be,  as  they  desarve." 

"  I  dunno,"  spoke  somebody.  "  Old  Fuss  and 
Feathers  has  a  soft  heart  in  him  for  the  enlisted  man. 
Now  if  they  were  officers  he'd  give  'em  short  shift." 

"  Did  you  find  many  wounded,  poor  fellows?  " 
the  detail  man  was  asked. 

"  Not  near  enough  before  darkness.  There's  like 
to  be  a  hundred  of  the  First  lying  now  in  the  corn- 
fields— and  the  rain  closing  down." 

"  That's  bad,  bad.  What  with  the  mud  and  the 
corn  and  the  ditches,  it  must  be  a  sore  place  to  search." 

"  We're  doing  our  best." 

"  Well,  lads,"  Sergeant  Mulligan  uttered,  "  I'm 
wet  through  already,  an'  I'm  goin'  to  turn  in,  for 
to-morrow  we'll  likely  take  the  city.  An'  why  we 
didn't  go  for'd  an'  take  it  this  evenin',  on  the  heels  o' 
that  mob,  I  dunno.  Wid  the  help  o'  Shields  an* 
Pillow,  the  First  could  ha'  walked  right  along." 

"  An'  walked  into  a  trap,  maybe.  But  the  gin'ral 
had  no  orders,  an'  he  waited  too  long,  undecided." 

"  Yes ;  and  the  gen'ral-in-chief  stopped  him,  too. 

Like  as  not  that  United  States  commissioner,  by 

name  o'  Trist,  who's  been  followin'  with  headquarters 

all  the  way  from  Puebla,  is  instructed  ag'in  any 

243 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

more  fightin'  than  is  necessary.  '  Conquer  a  peace ' ; 
that's  the  word.  And  if  we've  conquered  it  this 
day,  we'll  give  Santy  Annie  a  chance  to  say  so,  after 
he's  calmed  down  a  bit." 

"  Right,  then,"  Sergeant  Mulligan  agreed.  "  Let 
'em  think  it  over.  For  if  we  entered  in  too  much  of  a 
hurry  'twud  be  only  a  half-baked  p'ace  after  all." 

The  group  broke  up. 

"  Good-night,"  said  Hannibal.  "  Whew,  but  I'm 
tired.  It's  been  a  great  day,  though.  Oh,  my  eye, 
didn't  we  thrash  'em !  " 

"  Rather  guess,"  Jerry  answered.  "  I  kept  track 
of  Lieutenant  Grant.  He  was  right  near  me  most 
the  time." 

"  Where's  Pompey?" 

"  Haven't  seen  him.  He's  hunting  another 
money  chest,  like  as  not." 

This  night  Jerry  slept  under  a  wagon,  while 
the  rain  beat  down.  But  the  thought  of  the  wounded 
lying  out  in  the  dark  and  storm  bothered  him.  Bat- 
tles were  not  pleasant. 

After  breakfast  the  First  Division  was  marched 
back  to  Churubusco,  The  other  divisions  were  en- 
camped nearby.  And  what  a  sight  that  field  of 
Churubusco  was!  The  bodies  of  Mexicans  were 
piled  everywhere — in  the  road  and  in  the  breast- 
works and  in  the  muddy  fields.  All  the  trenches  and 
the  causeway  and  the  road  north  was  a  mess  of 
muskets,  pistols,  swords,  bayonets,  lances,  haversacks, 
cartridge  boxes,  knapsacks,  great  coats,  blankets,  hats 
and  caps,  and  drums,  horns,  fifes  and  the  like,  enough 
to  equip  fifty  bands. 

The  Mexican  loss  was  estimated  at  four  thousand 
244 


BEFORE  THE  BRISTLING  CITY 

killed  and  wounded  and  three  thousand  prisoners. 
Thirty-seven  pieces  of  artillery  had  been  taken,  to- 
gether with  an  enormous  quantity  of  small  arms 
and  supplies. 

The  division  was  moved  to  the  walls  of  the  ruined 
church.  General  Scott  waited  here,  sitting  his  horse, 
his  rugged  face  now  glad,  now  sad,  but  lighted 
proudly.  The  church  balcony  contained  a  number 
of  captured  Mexican  officers,  gazing  down  as  if  inter- 
ested. The  general  lifted  his  hand,  while  the  division 
cheered  him.  He  seemed  about  to  make  a  speech. 
"  Silence,  men !  Silence  in  the  ranks !  " 
"  Fellow  soldiers/'  the  general  shouted  in  his 
loud  voice — which  trembled.  "  Fellow-soldiers  of 
the  First  Division.  Your  general  thanks  you  from 
the  bottom  of  his  heart.  But  a  reward  infinitely 
higher — the  applause  of  a  grateful  country  and  Gov- 
ernment— will,  I  cannot  doubt,  be  accorded  in  due 
time  to  so  much  merit  of  every  sort  displayed  by  this 
glorious  army  which  has  now  overcome  all  difficul- 
ties of  distance,  climate,  ground,  fortifications  and 
numbers.  To  the  First  Division  I  say,  as  I  have  said 
to  the  other  gallant  divisions,  that  by  the  abilities  and 
science  of  the  generals  and  other  officers,  by  the  zeal 
and  prowess  of  the  rank  and  file,  you  have,  in  a  single 
day,  in  five  battles  as  often  defeated  thirty-two  thou- 
sand of  the  enemy.  These  great  results  have  over- 
whelmed him.  The  larger  number  of  our  own  dead 
and  wounded  are  of  the  highest  worth ;  the  wounded 
under  treatment  by  our  very  able  medical  officers  are 
generally  doing  well.  Again  your  general  and  fellow- 
soldier  thanks  you,  and  he  will  add  that  this  work 
so  well  accomplished  will  not  be  concluded  until 
245 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

we  place  the  flag  of  our  country  upon  the  Halls 
of  Montezuma" 

"Huzzah!    Huzzah!    Huzzahl" 

The  front  rank  broke;  before  the  officers  could 
stop  them  the  men  had  rushed  forward  and  were 
fighting  to  grasp  General  Scott's  hand,  and  even  his 
stirrups.  He  could  only  spur  his  horse  in  careful 
fashion,  and  bowing  and  smiling,  his  wrinkled  cheeks 
wet,  finally  galloped  away.  In  a  few  minutes  he  was 
riding  across  country  into  the  west,  escorted  by 
Harney's  dragoons. 

About  noon  it  was  announced  that  all  the 
wounded  had  been  found  and  the  bodies  of  the  slain 
had  been  buried.  The  roll  calls  of  the  divisions  were 
tabulated.  Out  of  twenty-six  hundred  men  the 
General  Worth  command  had  lost,  in  killed,  wounded 
and  missing,  thirteen  officers  and  three  hundred  and 
thirty-six  rank  and  file;  total,  three  hundred  and 
forty-nine.  The  Mohawks  of  General  Shields  had 
lost  two  hundred  and  forty  out  of  the  two  regiments. 
The  Second  Division,  Regulars,  had  lost  two  hun- 
dred ;  the  Pillow  Regulars  about  the  same.  The  grand 
total  was  one  thousand  and  fifty-six,  in  which  there 
were  eighty- four  officers. 

The  First  Division  was  marched  west  out  of 
Churubusco  by  a  crossroad  about  two  miles  to  the 
next  main  road,  which  had  been  opened  by  the  cap- 
ture of  Contreras;  then  from  this  road,  four  miles 
by  another  road  northwest  to  a  town  named  Tacu- 
baya,  on  the  north  slope  of  a  hill  only  a  mile  and  a 
half  from  the  southwestern  walls  of  the  city  itself. 

General  Scott  was  already  here  with  the  Harney 
dragoons  detachment.    They  and  the  First  Division  ' 
246 


BEFORE  THE  BRISTLING  CITY 

had  the  advance  position.  It  looked  as  though  the 
general  was  side-stepping  again.  Instead  of  moving 
upon  the  city  by  the  Acapulco  road  (the  road  from 
San  Augustine  through  San  Antonio  and  Churu- 
busco),  he  was  slipping  around  to  the  west  and 
keeping  Santa  Anna  guessing. 

This  evening  word  was  spread  that  Santa  Anna 
had  proposed  a  truce  for  the  purpose  of  talking 
surrender.  The  men  grumbled  somewhat.  A  truce 
appeared  to  them  a  Mexican  trick,  in  order  to  gain 
time  while  guns  and  soldiers  were  shifted.  The 
United  States  Peace  Commissioner,  Mr.  Trist,  who 
had  accompanied  the  army  from  Puebla,  held  long 
meetings  with  the  Mexican  commissioners,  but  the 
two  parties  did  not  agree  upon  terms. 

The  peace  talks  continued  for  two  weeks.  During 
the  truce  neither  army  was  to  fortify  further  against 
the  other.  Both  were  to  get  food  supplies  without 
being  interfered  with.  The  Mexicans  were  to  send 
out  for  provisions ;  the  Americans  were  to  purchase 
provisions  wherever  they  could,  even  in  the  city. 

The  First  Division  occupied  the  advance  position 
of  Tacubaya,  and  had  a  good  rest  Drum  Major 
Brown  and  Corporal  Finerty,  of  the  Fourth  Regi- 
ment, were  able  to  hobble  about  and  would  soon  be 
fit  for  duty.  The  General  Pillow  Third  Division  was 
a  short  distance  south,  at  another  village ;  the  Twiggs 
Second  Division  was  farther  south,  at  San  Angel ;  the 
Quitman  Fourth  Division  of  Volunteers  and  Marines 
was  down  at  San  Augustine,  in  charge  of  the  pris- 
oners and  the  extra  supplies. 

In  Tacubaya  General  Scott  and  staff  were  quar- 
tered in  the  magnificent  palace  of  the  archbishop  of 
247 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

Mexico,  which  from  the  western  outskirts  of  the  town 
overlooked  the  whole  country  below.  Tacubaya  it- 
self was  a  kind  of  summer  resort  for  Mexico  City ; 
a  number  of  English  gentlemen  and  wealthy  city 
merchants  lived  here  in  great  style,  with  villas  and 
out-door  baths  and  large  gardens,  enclosed  by  walls. 

The  slope  of  the  hill  fronted  the  capital.  After 
duties  Jerry  and  Hannibal  and  the  other  First  Divi- 
sion men  paid  considerable  attention  to  that  view 
from  the  slope,  for  many  of  the  city  defenses  were 
clearly  outlined. 

To  the  north,  directly  in  front  of  Tacubaya,  on 
the  Tacubaya  road  to  the  city  and  only  one-half 
a  mile  distant  by  air,  there  was  a  huge  mass  of  grey 
rock,  connected  with  the  city  walls  by  two  short 
roads.  The  rock  mass  was  fortified  from  bottom  to 
top  by  breastworks,  and  fringed  at  its  base  by  a  long 
wall  and  embankment.  On  the  flat  crown,  about 
one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  up,  there  was  a  great  stone 
building — the  Military  College  of  Mexico.  The  rock 
fell  away  steeply  on  the  south  and  the  east  sides.  The 
engineers  said  that  it  was  as  steep  on  the  north  side. 
The  west  side  had  a  more  gradual  slope,  covered  with 
cypress  trees.  The  name  of  the  rock  was  Chapulte- 
pec — or  in  English,  Grasshopper  Hill. 

At  the  foot  of  the  west  slope — the  timbered  slope 
— there  was  a  long  group  of  stone  buildings,  with 
flat  roofs  and  one  or  two  towers.  At  night  red 
flames  seemed  to  issue  from  one  of  the  roofs,  as  if 
the  place  was  being  used  as  a  foundry,  casting  guns 
and  solid  shot.  The  place  was  called  El  Molino  del 
Rey — the  King's  Mill ;  and  according  to  the  people  in 
Tacubaya,  it  was  indeed  an  old  mill  and  a  foundry. 
248 


BEFORE  THE  BRISTLING  CITY 

The  western  half  of  the  group  was  the  Casa- 
Mata,  or  Casemate.  And  this  was  reported  to  be  a 
powder  storehouse. 

The  King's  Mill  and  the  Casa-Mata  were  located 
not  only  at  the  western  foot  of  Chapultepec  but  also 
at  the  foot  of  the  hill-slope  of  Tacubaya  village. 
The  guns  of  Chapultepec  covered  them ;  covered  the 
Tacubaya  road  which  at  the  base  of  the  rock  mass 
ran  into  the  two  short  roads  onward  into  the  city — 
one  entering  the  city  at  the  southwest  corner,  the 
other  farther  north,  on  the  west  side;  covered  the 
main  road  east  of  Tacubaya — the  Contreras  road. 

To  silence  Chapultepec — perhaps  to  climb  to  its 
top  with  only  eight  thousand  men — looked  like  a 
job.  The  King's  Mill  and  the  Casa-Mata  at  its  base 
might  have  td  be  taken.  The  city  gates  were  de- 
fended by  batteries,  and  they,  too,  would  have  to 
be  stormed. 

Lieutenant  Grant  good-naturedly  lent  his  spy- 
glass to  Jerry;  through  it  there  might  be  seen  the 
faces  and  costumes  of  the  Mexican  soldiers  upon 
Chapultepec.  The  castle  or  college  itself  loomed 
menacing  with  cannon,  and  thick  high  walls  and  the 
Mexican  coat  of  arms  in  colors  over  the  wide  por- 
tico. Numbers  of  boys  were  moving  about  in  neat 
uniforms.  These  were  the  military  cadets,  being 
educated  for  Mexican  army  officers.  Some  did  not 
appear  more  than  fourteen  years  old. 

Evidently  they  had  practiced  on  Chapultepec  hill, 
for  as  said,  there  was  no  end  of  ditches  and  breast- 
works, from  the  college  buildings  down  to  the  last 
wide  ditch  and  wall  at  the  bottom. 


249 


XX 

THE  BATTLE  OF  THE  KING'S  MILL 

"  BAR'S  trouble  hatchin'." 

It  was  afternoon  of  September  7.  The  men  of 
the  First  Division  were  lying  around.  Pompey  had 
come  forward  to  where  Jerry  and  Hannibal  were 
sitting  with  several  others,  debating  the  course  of 
events.  There  had  been  no  fighting  since  August  20, 
when  Churubusco  fell. 

"  Gwan,  you  black  crow !  " 

"  Yes,  sars.  But  I  knows  what  I  knows,  gen'i'- 
men.  Bar's  trouble  hatchin'.  Bat  armorstice  done 
busted  an'  we  gwine  to  pop  it  to  'em  ag'in." 

"What?" 

"  Sartin.  Bis  chile  don't  mix,  up  with  offercers 
for  nuffin'.  The  armorstice  done  been  busted  by 
Gin'ral  Scott  hisself.  Bose  Santy  Annies  been  for- 
tify in'  'gin  the  rules,  an'  gettin'  reinforcements;  an' 
Gin'ral  Scott  he  sent  a  note  dis  berry  mornin'  sayin' 
dar  ain't  any  armorstice  any  mo'  an'  Santy  Annie  bet- 
ter look  out  f o'  hisself.  Santy  Annie,  he  a  big  liar,  but 
Gin'ral  Scott,  he  a  big  strateegis'  an*  nobody  gwine 
to  fool  him.  I  heah  offercers  talkin' ;  I  heah  Lieu- 
tenant Smith  an'  Lieutenant  Grant  talkin',  same  as 
odders.  Bar's  gwine  to  be  a  monster  fight,  sars." 

"  B'  gorry !"  old  Sergeant  Mulligan  exclaimed, 
slapping  his  thigh.  "That's  right;  sure,  that  ix- 
plains  matters.  'Tis  why  Cap'n  Mason,  of  the  ingi- 
neers,  was  off  yonder  to  the  front  this  mornin'  ray- 
connoiterin' ;  an'  there  go  Mason  an'  Colonel  Buncan 
250 


THE  BATTLE  OF  THE  KING'S  MILL 

an'  Worth  an'  Gin'ral  Scott  himself  on  another  trip. 
I've  a  feel  in'  in  me  bones  that  a  fight's  due." 

"  Guess  we'll  have  to  take  Grasshopper  Hill  for 
exercise,"  said  Hannibal,  lazily. 

"  Faith,  then  why  don't  you  tell  Gin'ral  Scott?  " 
the  sergeant  rebuked.  "  Belike  he's  only  waitin'  for 
some  smart  drummer  boy  to  make  his  plans  for  him." 

"  Well,  we've  got  to  take  it,  haven't  we  ?  "  Fifer 
O'Toole  asked. 

"  Yis,  barrin'  a  better  way.  'Tis  the  city  we're 
after,  an'  what  wid  ?  Wid  an'  army  o'  less  than  eight 
thousand,  to-day,  outside  a  walled  city  o'  two  hun- 
dred thousand  an'  dayfinded  by  twinty  thousand, 
snug  bey  ant  ditches  an'  stone.  A  job  that,  me  lads, 
to  open  the  gates.  Thim  dons  know  we're  up  to 
somethin'.  Did  yez  mark  quite  a  movement  o'  troops 
down  below  this  mornin'  ?  Says  I  to  meself : '  Gin'- 
ral Santy  Annie  is  startin'  out  to  envelop  our  lift, 
or  else  he's  rayinforcin'  the  mill  so  as  to  get  his 
cannon  matayrial  finished  up.'  Faith,  there's  a 
storm  brewin',  but  I've  been  in  the  service  too  long 
to  daypind  on  camp  gossip.  I've  my  own  ways  o' 
findin'  out." 

So  the  sergeant  arose  and  strolled  off. 

"  Same  here,"  Hannibal  declared.  He  darted 
away  for  his  brigade  camp. 

"  I'll  get  the  correct  news  meself  at  the  hospital 
when  I  ask  the  doctor  to  take  wan  more  look  at  my 
leg,"  Corporal  Finerty,  asserted,  starting  out  with  a 
great  pretense  at  hobbling. 

"  Well,  I'll  bide  a  wee  jist  where  I  am,"  spoke 
Scotty  MacPheel,  smoking  his  pipe.  "  I've  gotten  a 
dream,  this  nicht  past,  an'  I  ken  mysel'  there'll  be 
251 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

gey  hot  wark  soon.  When  it  coomes,  I'll  no  be  the 
last  up  yon  hill." 

All  seemed  very  peaceful  in  town  and  camp  and 
upon  Chapultepec  rock.  The  flags  floated  languidly 
above  roofs  and  tents  and  battlements.  But  danger 
brooded  in  the  air.  The  armistice  had  been  broken ; 
everything  indicated  that.  The  engineers  were  re- 
connoitring, as  they  always  did  before  a  battle. 
The  Mexican  forces  appeared  somehow  more  alert. 
Now  Jerry  himself  got  up  and  started  out.  Pompey 
followed  him. 

"  Where  you  gwine  ?  " 

"  Oh,  just  taking  a  walk." 

"  You  gwine  to  find  Lieutenant  Grant,  huh  ?  You 
gwine  to  pester  him.  Lookee  hyar,  white  boy.  Don't 
you  say  nuffin'  'bout  me.  If  he  or  Marse  Smith 
find  out  I  been  tellin'  ahmy  secrets,  I  get  coht-mar- 
tialed.  Understan'?  Mebbe  I  get  hanged  up,  like 
dem  desarters  gwine  to  be." 

"  Are  they  to  be  hung?  " 

"  Sartin.  Dat's  what.  A  coht-martial  done  try 
'em,  an*  done  say  dey's  to  be  hanged  up,  fo'  desartin' 
in  face  ob  the  innimy  an'  shootin'  deir  own  men," 

"  Whew !  "  Jerry  whistled.    He  hastened  on. 

He  did  not  find  Lieutenant  Grant ;  Corporal  Fin- 
erty  had  learned  little,  Hannibal  did  not  come  back, 
and  Sergeant  Mulligan  kept  mum.  But  all  the  re- 
mainder of  the  afternoon  the  excitement  in  the  camp 
increased;  the  old  soldiers  there  "  smelled  powder." 
The  reconnoitring  group  returned,  and  there  was 
a  council  of  general  officers  at  commander-in-chief's 
headquarters.  Furthermore,  in  the  early  evening 
General  Cadwalader's  brigade  of  the  Voltigeurs  and 
252 


THE  BATTLE  OF  THE  KING'S  MILL 

the  Eleventh  and  Fourteenth  Infantry  with  Captain 
Drum's  battery  of  the  Fourth  Artillery  had  marched 
in  from  the  General  Pillow's  Third  Division  camp, 
three  miles  south. 

After  retreat  old  Sergeant  Mulligan  plumped 
himself  down  at  the  supper  mess  with  the  words : 

"  We  attack  at  daylight  to-morrow,  lads." 

"Where,  man?" 

"  The  King's  Mill  an'  the  Casa-Mata." 

"  AndChapultepec?" 

"  Not  as  I  know  of.  The  Mill  an'  the  Casa-Mata 
be  the  First  Division's  job,  helped  out  by  the  Cad- 
walader  brigade.  Sure,  the  ould  man — an*  I'm 
manin'  no  disrayspect — had  been  a-lookin'  at  yon 
mill  from  headquarters,  an'  he  says,  snappin'  his  glass 
together,  says  he :  'I  must  daystroy  that  place/ 
Whereby  he  sends  in  the  First  Division,  o'  course, 
wid  the  Cadwalader  troops  to  watch  an'  see  how 
it's  done." 

"  An'  what  does  he  want  of  those  old  buildin's, 
when  we  might  better  be  takin'  Chapultepec?  " 

"  Becuz  he  can  1'ave  Chapultepec  to  wan  side,  if 
he  likes,  an'  march  into  the  city  by  another  way.  But 
Santy  Annie's  short  o'  guns  an'  solid  shot — haven't 
we  captured  most  of  his  movable  artillery? — an'  the 
report  is  that  he's  been  meltin'  up  the  church  bells 
for  cannon  iron.  Faith,  we'll  go  down  an'  take  them, 
too,  before  he  can  put  'em  to  use." 

"Wid  Chapultepec  firm'  into  us?"  Corporal 
Finerty  asked. 

"Oh,  what  do  we  care  for  the  likes  o'  Chapulte- 
pec?   Ain't  ye  soldier  enough  to  know  that  down- 
hill firm'  is  mighty  uncertain  work,  especially  wid 
253 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

Mexican  gunners?  An'  they'll  be  killin'  their  own 
men,  wance  we're  inside  the  walls.  Then  wid  the 
fut  o'  the  hill  cleared,  we  can  march  up  all  the  'asier, 
in  case  such  be  the  orders." 

"  How  many  Mexicans  this  time,  I  wonder?  " 

"  Well,  the  ingineers  an'  Ould  Fuss  an'  Feathers, 
not  to  spake  o'  Gin'ral  Worth  himself,  haven't  dis- 
civvered  many,  for  all  their  reconnoiterin'  the  long 
day.  Seems  like  there  are  cannon  in  the  mill,  an'  in 
that  ramshackle  Casa-Mata ;  an'  a  line  o'  breastworks 
are  tonnectin'  the  two.  But  scarce  a  sign  o'  much 
of  a  supportin'  force  of  infantry.  An'  I'm  thinkin' 
that  by  an  'arly  mornin'  attack  we'll  walk  in  after 
the  fust  scrimmage.  Annyhow,  we'll  get  our  orders ; 
an'  it's  soon  to  bed,  for  me,  an'  a  bit  o'  sleep." 

Jerry  managed  to  get  over  to  the  Eighth  Infantry 
and  find  Hannibal ;  a  rather  sober  Hannibal. 

"  Couldn't  see  you  before,"  said  Hannibal.  "  I've 
been  on  detail.  But  you  know  now;  we're  to  take 
the  Mill  and  Casa-Mata.  Three  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing is  the  hour,  and  no  reveille.  So  good-by  and 
good  luck,  if  we  don't  meet  up  again." 

"  Why's  that.  Will  it  be  much  of  a  fight,  you 
think,  Hannibal?" 

"  I  dunno.  But  I'm  in  the  storming  column — 
five  hundred  picked  troops  from  all  the  regiments. 
We  charge  first  and  break  the  center.  Major  Wright, 
of  the  Eighth,  commands.  About  half  the  Eighth 
is  chosen.  The  Eighth  is  General  Worth's  own  regi- 
ment, you  see,  and  he  knows  what  we  can  do." 

"  Maybe  I  can  get  in  it,  too,"  Jerry  blurted. 

"  Don't  think  so.  The  First  Brigade  has  only 
seven  hundred  and  fifty  men;  the  Second  had  eleven 
254 


THE  BATTLE  OF  THE  KING'S  MILL 

hundred  and  fifty,  so  we'll  furnish  the  most  stormers. 
You  fellows  will  have  enough  to  do,  anyhow." 

With  a  "  Good-by  and  good  luck — see  you  later/ ' 
Jerry  shook  hands  and  hustled  back  for  his  com- 
pany. But  the  men  from  the  Fourth  had  already 
been  picked. 

Fortunately  there  was  no  rain  this  night  When 
Jerry,  like  the  others,  was  aroused  by  the  non-com- 
missioned officers  passing  from  mess  to  mess,  the 
stars  were  shining  brightly.  The  First  Brigade 
formed  by  itself,  under  Colonel  Garland,  in  the  early 
morning  gloom,  and  presently  was  marched  down 
the  slope  by  a  road,  as  if  straight  for  the  King's 
Mill.  By  the  slight  rumble  of  artillery  wheels  a 
battery  (Drum's  battery,  it  was,  from  the  Cadwala- 
der  brigade)  followed.  The  other  brigades  might  be 
heard,  also  moving,  with  creak  of  belts  and  car- 
tridge boxes,  dull  tramp  of  feet,  and  low  lurch  and 
rattle  of  cannon  carriages  and  caissons.  Somewhere 
on  the  left  cavalry  equipment  faintly  jangled. 

Colonel  Mclntosh,  of  the  Fifth  Infantry,  was  said 
to  be  commanding  the  Second  Brigade;  Colonel 
Clarke  was  ill.  Major  Wright,  of  the  Eighth  Infan- 
try, commanded  the  storming  column  of  five  hundred 
men  picked  from  all  the  regiments  of  the  division. 
General  Cadwalader  commanded  the  Third  Division 
regiments.  Colonel  Harney  had  supplied  six  com- 
panies of  the  Second  Dragoons  and  one  company  of 
the  Third,  which  with  one  company  of  the  Mounted 
Rifles,  were  under  Major  Sumner.  There  were  two 
twenty- four-pounder  siege  guns,  under  command  of 
Captain  Benjamin  Huger,  chief  of  ordnance,  and 
three  guns  of  Colonel  Duncan's  First  Division 
255 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

celebrated  battery,  which  accompanied  the  Sec- 
ond Brigade. 

At  San  Antonio  the  First  Division  had  num- 
bered twenty-six  hundred  officers  and  men;  now  it 
was  down  to  nineteen  hundred,  or  two  thousand, 
when  one  included  the  Colonel  C.  F.  Smith  battalion 
of  Light  Infantry  attached  to  the  Second  Brigade. 
General  Cadwalader  had  brought  about  seven  hun- 
dred and  fifty  in  his  three  regiments;  Major  Sum- 
ner's  dragoons  and  Mounted  Rifles  numbered  two 
hundred  and  ninety,  the  three  batteries  one  hundred ; 
so  that  General  Worth  was  attacking  the  Mill  and 
the  Casa-Mata  with  some  thirty-one  hundred  and 
fifty  men. 

After  a  march  forward  of  about  a  mile  down 
the  hill  slope  from  Tacubaya,  the  First  Brigade  was 
halted  in  line  of  battle. 

"  Lie  down,  men.     Silence  in  the  ranks." 

While  they  lay,  the  east  brightened  slowly  over 
the  City  of  Mexico  and  the  citadel  of  Chapultepec. 
The  towers  and  steeples  of  the  city  began  to  be  out- 
lined against  the  sky ;  Chapultepec  caught  the  glow ; 
all  the  east  became  gold  and  pink,  with  the  mountain 
ranges  black  along  the  high  horizon.  Down  here 
it  was  still  chill  and  dusky.  Colonel  Garland,  dimly 
seen  from  his  horse,  addressed  the  line: 

"  My  men,"  he  said,  "  the  First  Division  is  going 
into  battle  as  soon  as  there  is  light  enough.  General 
Scott  has  appointed  us  to  brush  the  enemy  from  those 
buildings  yonder.  The  First  Brigade  is  to  handle 
the  mill,  where  the  enemy's  left  rests.  The  Second 
Brigade  will  assault  the  enemy's  right  at  the  Casa- 
Mata.  The  general  assault  will  be  opened  after  the 
256 


THE  BATTLE  OF  THE  KING'S  MILL 

artillery  has  prepared  the  way  by  the  Major  Wright 
storming  column,  which  will  break  the  enemy's  cen- 
ter and  cut  the  communications  between  the  mill  and 
that  powder  store-house.  Our  own  job  is  to  isolate 
El  Molino  and  prevent  aid  from  Chapultepec.  So 
we  must  work  fast.  But  once  in  there,  you  know 
very  well  that  we  can't  be  driven  out  No,  no ;  don't 
cheer.  Silence!  All  I  ask  of  you  is  to  uphold  the 
honor  of  the  First  Brigade  and  the  American  arms." 

The  lower  country  was  lightening,  now.  They  all 
could  see  the  arrangements  for  themselves.  The 
First  Brigade  occupied  right  of  line.  Captain  Drum's 
battery  section  of  three  six-pounders  was  posted  a 
little  to  the  right  of  the  brigade.  Not  far  on  the  left, 
or  west,  were  the  two  twenty-four-pounder  siege 
guns  of  Captain  Huger,  with  the  Light  Battalion 
drawn  up  behind  them  in  support.  Beyond,  in  the 
broken  line  that  curved  to  the  north  so  as  to  envelop 
the  breastworks  and  the  Casa-Mata,  there  were  the 
five  hundred  men  of  the  Major  Wright  storming 
column,  crouched  in  column  of  platoons,  and  be- 
hind them  the  General  Cadwalader  brigade,  in  re- 
serve. Farther  on  in  the  west  there  was  the  Second 
Brigade,  and  beyond  it  the  Duncan  battery  section, 
waiting  in  front  of  the  Casa-Mata.  And  away  on  the 
left  of  line  in  the  northwest,  there  were  the  three 
squadrons  of  cavalry. 

Nothing  had  been  heard  from  the  enemy ;  not  a 
movement  had  been  sighted.  Then,  suddenly,  a 
bugle  pealed ;  drums  rattled  like  a  volley.  The  sound 
made  everybody  jump,  but  it  was  only  the  regula- 
tion Mexican  reveille  upon  Chapultepec.  Never  had 
17  257 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

it  seemed  so  loud,  it  fairly  echoed  against  the  moun- 
tains back  of  the  city. 

"  Boom,  boom-m-m! " 

A  flare  of  flame  and  a  great  shock  in  the  air  took 
one's  breath. 

"  Steady,  men ! "  Lieutenant  Grant  and  other 
officers  were  warning. 

Huger's  siege  guns  had  opened;  and  how  they 
bellowed,  blasting  the  still  air  so  that  the  city  crashed 
and  the  mountains  rumbled. 

"Boom!  Boom!"  The  solid  shot  might  be 
heard  smashing  through  the  stone  walls  of  the  old 
mill  five  hundred  yards  before.  Up  on  Chapultepec 
the  bugles  and  drums  had  ceased,  as  if  frightened. 
The  mill  did  not  reply.  General  Worth  and  staff, 
back  of  the  storming  column,  could  be  seen  watching 
the  effect  of  the  bombardment;  from  the  mill  dust 
was  rising  into  the  dawn. 

"  Column — attention!  " 

The  First  Brigade  had  been  craning  anxiously; 
the  men  scrambled  to  their  feet  at  the  command. 
An  aide  from  General  Worth  had  galloped  to  the 
battery ;  it  stopped  firing,  and — huzzah ! — the  Wright 
column  was  rushing  forward  at  the  double,  down 
the  slope,  for  the  bottom  and  the  breastworks  con- 
necting the  mill  and  the  Casa-Mata. 

That  was  a  stirring  sight  to  witness:  this  little 
column  of  blue- jacketed,  round-capped  soldiers 
charging,  guns  at  the  ready,  their  officers  leading, 
and  the  colors  streaming  overhead  in  the  fore. 
Everybody  cheered — waved  caps  and  hands;  the 
cheering  spread  from  the  First  Brigade  clear  to  the 
farthest  left 

258 


THE  BATTLE  OF  THE  KING'S  MILL 

On  dashed  the  Wright  five  hundred — and  that 
Hannibal  was  there,  Jerry  well  recalled.  They  slack- 
ened— an  officer  ran  forward  (he  was  Captain 
Mason,  of  the  engineers,  who  guided  with  Lieuten- 
ant Foster) — he  ran  back,  beckoning  as  if  he  had 
seen  nothing  beyond  the  lines  of  cactus  which 
screened  the  trenches;  the  column  hastened  again, 
was  almost  there  when  from  a  few  yards  the  whole 
fringing  cactus  spumed  flame  and  smoke  and  a  great 
gush  of  grape  and  musket  ball  mowed  the  ranks  down 
like  ninepins. 

But  they  didn't  stop.  No,  no !  The  ranks  closed, 
with  bayonets  leveled  they  plunged  straight  forward 
into  the  cactus  and  over  the  embankments  and  into 
the  trenches.  The  Mexican  infantry  and  artillery 
were  diving  right  and  left  for  shelter  in  the  Casa- 
Mata  and  the  mill. 

"Huzzah!    Huzzah!    Huzzah!" 

Now  for  the  First  Brigade  and  the  seizure  of  the 
mill !  But  look !  A  tremendous  gunfire  had  belched 
from  the  roof  and  the  walls  of  the  mill,  directed  into 
the  main  trench ;  and  a  column  of  Mexican  infantry, 
numbering  one  thousand,  had  charged  in  counter- 
attack from  the  rear  ground. 

Out  came  the  Wright  fragments,  driven  back  and 
back  and  back,  and  lessening  rapidly.  There  looked 
to  be  scarcely  any  officers  left.  Major  Wright  and 
both  the  engineers  were  down. 

Huzzah,  though!  The  Light  Battalion  and  the 
Eleventh  Regulars  of  General  Cadwalader  had  been 
launched  by  General  Worth  to  the  rescue — 

"  Column,  forward — trail  arms — center  guide — 
double  time — march !  " 

259 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

It  was  the  word  for  the  First  Brigade  at  last. 

Chapultepec  had  opened  with  a  plunging  fire  into 
the  valley.  The  First  Brigade  sped  steadily  down 
the  slope  for  the  smoking  King's  Mill. 

"  Charge — bayonets !    Run !  " 

And  run  they  all  did,  with  a  yell,  Jerry  and  the 
drummers  and  fifers  pelting  behind,  the  officers  to 
the  fore,  Drum's  battery  following  by  the  road. 
Grape  and  canister  and  musket  ball  met  them ;  men 
fell ;  the  firing  was  worse  than  that  of  the  bridgehead 
at  Churubusco,  but  the  Fourth  Regiment  luckily 
found  itself  in  an  angle  of  the  wall  surrounding  the 
mill  yard  and  could  rally  under  protection.  The 
enemy  was  inside,  sheltered  by  the  walls  of  the  mill 
buildings  and  by  sandbag  parapets  upon  the  flat  roofs. 
The  shouting  and  the  rapid  firing  announced  thou- 
sands of  Mexicans. 

All  the  bright  morning  was  dulled  by  powder  and 
rent  by  the  cheering,  the  yelling,  and  the  continuous 
reports  of  muskets  and  cannon.  From  the  angle  of 
the  wall  where  the  Fourth  crouched,  the  battlefield 
to  the  west  stretched  full  in  view — the  soldiers  charg- 
ing down  across  it,  staggering,  limping,  crumpling, 
but  closing  ranks  as  they  tore  on,  their  bayonets  set. 
The  Cadwalader  reinforcements  and  the  Light  Bat- 
talion had  mingled  with  the  shattered  Wright  col- 
umn; they  were  bearing  on  together,  and  disap- 
peared in  the  cactus-fringed  trenches.  What  of 
Hannibal,  Jerry  wondered. 

But  here  was  Drum's  battery  section,  dragged 

forward  by  hand  to  a  nearer  position  in  the  road. 

It  scarcely  had  been  pointed  and  the  linstocks  applied 

to  the  touch  holes  when  every  gunner  was  swept 

260 


THE  BATTLE  OF  THE  KING'S  MILL 

away  by  the  Mexican  balls,  leaving  the  guns  alone. 
Led  by  Corporal  Finerty,  out  rushed  a  squad  of  the 
Fourth,  reloaded  one  of  the  guns  and  discharged  it 
again  and  again. 

The  men  plastered  within  the  angle  of  the  wall 
were  firing  with  their  muskets  whenever  they  had  the 
chance.  Old  Sergeant  Mulligan  was  right  out  in  the 
open,  lying  behind  a  large  cactus  with  broad  spongy 
lobes,  and  aiming  and  shooting  and  loading  and  aim- 
ing once  more.  He  did  not  seem  to  know  that  the 
Mexican  bullets  were  riddling  the  cactus  lobes  as  if 
they  were  paper. 

Amidst  the  hurly-burly  orders  came  to  leave  the 
cover  of  the  wall. 

"Up,  men!  Battalion,  by  the  left  flank,  left 
face,  double  time — march !  " 

That  took  them  to  the  road  again. 

"  Battalion,  forward !  Through  that  gate,  men ! 
Break  it  down !  Hurrah !  " 

"Huzzah!    Huzzah!" 

Another  great  cheer  had  arisen.  The  Wright  and 
Cadwalader  column  had  won  the  trenches  connecting 
mill  and  Casa-Mata;  the  Mexicans  were  pouring 
out,  as  before — their  own  cannon  were  being  turned 
upon  them.  Now  was  the  time  for  seizing  the  mill 
at  one  end  and  the  Casa-Mata  at  the  other. 

"  Huzzah !  Inside  wid  yez !  "  Sergeant  Mulligan 
bawled,  his  face  red  and  streaming  dirty  sweat. 

Fast  work  was  made  with  the  gate.  Battered 
by  musket  stocks  and  rammed  by  flying  wedges  of 
human  bodies  it  crashed  apart.  Through  the  open- 
ing and  over  the  walls  on  either  hand  the  Fourth 
lafantry  surged  inside. 

261 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

All  was  confusion.  Jerry  tried  hard  to  stick 
close  to  Lieutenant  Grant.  The  yard  had  to  be 
crossed  first — a  very  maelstrom  of  smoke  and  lead — 
before  the  buildings  themselves  might  be  stormed. 
The  Mexican  soldiers,  firing  from  windows  and  roof- 
top, gave  way  never  an  inch.  They  were  obstinate 
to-day;  brave,  too.  But  shooting,  shouting,  darting 
by  squads,  the  Fourth  Infantry  bored  in.  On  the 
other  sides  the  rest  of  the  brigade  was  fighting 
stoutly  also. 

It  did  not  seem  possible  that  anybody  could  live 
to  reach  those  angry  buildings.  Jerry — somehow 
not  a  whit  afraid,  so  excited  he  was — wormed  after 
Lieutenant  Grant,  who  surely  had  a  charmed  life. 
The  Grant  detachment  rammed  through  a  door  and 
into  the  first  room  of  the  first  building.  A  pioneer 
with  an  ax  had  joined.  Lieutenant  Grant  pointed, 
and  the  pioneer  hacked  a  hole  through  a  wall  of  the 
room ;  the  lieutenant  vanished  into  it — they  all  pur- 
sued, Jerry  wriggling  with  the  others,  his  drum 
slung  on  his  back,  his  eyes  smarting  and  watering. 

Mexican  soldiers  were  upon  the  roof  above. 
They  could  be  heard  yelling  and  firing.  A  door  from 
the  second  room  led  into  an  open  corridor  from 
wing  to  wing.  The  lieutenant  sprang  back  just  in 
time — a  loud  report  had  greeted  him,  and  a  bullet 
had  splintered  the  plaster  in  front  of  his  nose. 
Scotty  MacPheel  bolted  forward,  musket  ready;  an- 
other bullet  toppled  him.  They  dragged  him 
into  shelter. 

"  Tis  nathin',  lads,"  he  gasped.  "  But  bide  a 
wee,  for  if  there's  ane  there's  a  dozen,  jist 
a-waitin'  above." 

262 


THE  BATTLE  OF  THE  KING'S  MILL 

"  Careful,  men.  Watch,  for  a  red  cap,  and  when 
you  fire,  don't  miss,"  panted  the  lieutenant. 

The  squad  ranged  themselves  within  the  door- 
way and  peered ;  now  and  then  fired.  Two  Mexican 
soldiers  tumbled  asprawl  into  the  corridor.  After 
a  few  moments  there  were  no  answering'  shots. 
One  of  the  men — Corporal  John  Hale — saluted. 

"  All  clear,  lieutenant." 

"  Follow  me,  then.    On,  boys." 

So  they  passed  through  the  corridor  into  the 
next  wing. 

By  the  noises  the  other  troops  were  ransacking 
rooms  in  the  same  way.  The  tumult,  now  loud,  now 
muffled,  was  filled  with  American  cheers. 

The  next  room  contained  Mexican  soldiers  driven 
to  cover.  At  sight  of  the  entering  squad  they  dropped 
their  guns,  even  fell  upon  their  knees,  holding  up 
their  empty  hands.  "  Amigo,  amigo— friend, 
friend !  "  they  cried. 

"  Disarm  these  fellows  and  take  them  outside, 
four  of  you,"  the  lieutenant  ordered. 

On  through  a  door  and  another  room,  and  the 
remainder  of  the  detachment  was  outside  also.  The 
mill  yard  was  a  mass  of  panting  blue-coats  and  of 
herded  Mexican  prisoners.  The  guns  of  Chapultepec 
could  not  fire  in  with  safety.  The  battle  here 
was  over. 

Staring  about  in  the  north  end  of  the  yard  Jerry 
noted  a  group  of  red  caps  upon  a  roof. 

"  There  are  some  more,  lieutenant." 

"Where?" 

"  On'fhat  roof." 

"  I  see." 

263 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

The  lieutenant  ran  for  the  building,  Jerry  after. 
There  was  no  way  of  climbing  atop. 

"  Here,  you  men !    Place  that  cart  for  me." 

A  broken  cart  was  trundled  to  the  wall  of  the 
building;  the  heavy  tongue  just  reached  the  top. 
Lieutenant  Grant  used  this  as  a  ladder.  He  shinned 
up,  Jerry  following,  while  the  men  below  formed  file 
to  join. 

But  somebody  had  been  ahead  of  the  lieutenant. 
He  was  one  man:  none  other  than  Fifer  O'Toole, 
parading  back  and  forth  with  a  musket.  Fifer 
O'Toole  grinned. 

"  Sure,  I'm  saving  'em  for  you,  lieutenant," 
he  reported. 

They  were  a  fat  Mexican  major  and  several 
subalterns,  with  full  a  dozen  privates ;  and  they  were 
quite  ready  to  surrender,  for  at  sight  of  Lieutenant 
Grant's  drawn  sword  they  unbuckled  their  belts  and 
dropped  their  guns. 

"  The  fortunes  of  war,  senor,"  the  major  said  in. 
good  English,  shrugging  his  shoulders.  "  We  fight 
like  men,  but  you  Americans  fight  like  demons." 

"  Very  good,  sir,"  the  lieutenant  answered 
shortly,  stacking  the  scabbards  in  his  arms.  "  Crack 
those  muskets  over  the  edge  of  the  wall,  lads,  and 
conduct  these  prisoners  to  the  proper  guard." 

He  himself  lingered  a  minute  upon  the  roof. 
Jerry  breathlessly  waited.  The  mill  had  been  taken. 
There  were  only  a  few  scattered  shots  among  the 
buildings,  as  the  soldiers  below  or  ranging  the  roofs 
jumped  Mexican  skulkers  from  hiding  places;  but 
to  the  west  the  battle  was  still  raging  furiously. 
From  the  roof-top  a  good  view  might  be  had. 
264 


, 


LIEUTENANT  GRANT   USED  THIS  AS  A  LADDER 


THE  BATTLE  OF  THE  KING'S  MILL 

The  trenches  connecting  with  the  Casa-Mata  had 
been  seized ;  their  cannon  were  being  used  to  quicken 
the  rout  hastening  into  the  wooded  west  slope  of 
Chapultepec.  All  the  Casa-Mata,  however,  was 
aflame  with  rapid  discharges,  and  the  Second  Bri- 
gade was  recoiling  in  confusion  from  before  it.  The 
Casa-Mata  turned  out  to  be  a  solid  stone  structure, 
built  like  a  fort,  housing  cannon  and  infantry,  and 
surrounded  by  ditches  and  breastworks. 

Lieutenant  Grant  chanced  to  mark  Jerry,  stand- 
ing behind  him. 

"  They're  being  cut  to  pieces,"  he  exclaimed. 
"  General  Worth,  and  Scott,  too,  have  been  deceived. 
We  should  have  attacked  in  greater  force." 

The  Second  Brigade  was  in  the  open — could  not 
penetrate  past  the  ditches  and  to  the  Casa-Mata  walls. 
The  field  was  blue  with  bodies.  Where  was  Dun- 
can's battery?  Then  a  sharp  word  from  the  lieu- 
tenant, who  had  leveled  his  spy-glass,  drew  Jerry's 
eyes  also  to  the  northwest  at  very  end  of  line. 

A  dense  body  of  lancers  had  sallied  from  the 
Mexican  right,  and  sweeping  around  was  forming  to 
charge  and  turn  the  American  left.  The  Duncan 
battery  section,  with  the  Voltigeurs  running  to  keep 
up,  was  galloping  to  head  the  lancers  off.  And  the 
Sumner  dragoons  and  Rifles  were  changing  front  to 
meet  the  charge. 

The  battery  was  there  first — unlimbered  in  a 
twinkling — the  lancers,  a  mass  of  red  and  yellow, 
their  lances  set,  tore  in  for  it.  Colonel  Duncan 
waited — waited — and  when  his  guns  at  last  burst 
into  canister  and  grape,  with  gunners  working  like 
mad,  the  close  ranks  of  the  Mexican  cavalry  melted 
265 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

away  in  the  manner  of  grain  before  a  giant  scythe. 
The  horses  reared,  fell,  or,  whirling,  bore  their  gay 
riders  right  and  left  and  in  retreat. 

A  new  gunfire  crashed  from  the  Casa-Mata.  At 
the  Second  Brigade  again?  No!  The  Second  Bri- 
gade was  still  streaming  rearward  in  blue  rivulets, 
which  swirled,  eddied,  jetted  smoke  as  the  men  des- 
perately tried  to  stand  and  fight,  then  slowly  flowed 
on.  The  new  gunfire  had  issued  from  a  blind  trench 
along  which  the  Sumner  column:  was  racing.  Down 
went  horse  and  rider.  Major  Sumner  pointed  with 
his  saber,  and  never  wavering,  the  little  column,  terri- 
bly thinned,  dashed  on  for  the  lancers,  who  had 
re-formed  as  if  to  charge  again. 

Back  came  the  Duncan  battery,  leaving  the  lan- 
cers to  the  dragoons  and  Rifles.  Colonel  Duncan 
wheeled  his  guns  into  position  before  the  Casa-Mata 
once  more.  Quick  work  this  was.  He  had  not  been 
able  to  do  as  he  wished  here,  because  the  Second 
Brigade  infantry  had  masked  his  fire,  but  now,  with 
his  field  cleared,  his  three  pieces  delivered  one  con- 
stant sheet  of  smoke,  out  of  which  the  solid  shot  and 
canister  sped,  ripping  through  the  walls  and  deluging 
the  parapets. 

In  a  moment,  as  it  seemed,  the  Casa-Mata  fire 
slackened ;  the  doors  and  windows  and  roof  vomited 
Mexican  soldiers,  fleeing  helter-skelter,  losing  hats 
and  knapsacks  and  muskets ;  veering  to  the  north  out 
of  reach  from  the  mill,  they  pelted  on  for  the  San 
Cosme  gateway  of  the  west  city  wall. 

With  a  resounding  cheer  the  Second  Brigade 
charged  into  the  defenses.    The  flag  of  the  Eighth 
Regiment  broke  from  the  roof-top. 
266 


THE  BATTLE  OF  THE  KING'S  MILL 

Lieutenant  Grant  closed  his  glass. 

"  The  battle  is  over,"  he  rapped.  "  Now  we  can 
take  Chapul tepee.  If  General  Scott  has  the  rest  of 
the  army  in  readiness  we  can  take  the  city  itself  be- 
fore night."  Then,  as  he  glanced  quickly  about : 
"  Aha !  A  counter-attack !  " 

Another  body  of  the  enemy  had  appeared — five 
or  six  thousand  infantry,  marching  in  along  the  north 
side  of  Chapultepec.  And  the  lancers  were  threaten- 
ing the  Sumner  column  in  the  northwest. 

"  We're  getting  reinforcements,  too,  lieutenant !  " 

Down  from  Tacubaya  village  a  fresh  American 
column  was  hurrying,  the  Stars  and  Stripes  dancing 
at  the  fore.  Now  Duncan's  battery  section,  Drum's 
section,  the  Huger  twenty-four-pounders,  and  the 
guns  of  the  captured  Casa-Mata  were  all  thundering 
at  the  retreating  Mexicans.  Bugles  were  blowing, 
drums  rolling. 

"  We'd  better  find  our  stations,  boy,"  said  the 
lieutenant.  They  two  piled  down  by  way  of  the 
cart  shafts. 

Jerry  was  scarcely  in  time  to  help  beat  the  recall 
for  gathering  the  men.  The  reinforcements  arrived. 
They  were  the  General  Pierce  brigade — Ninth, 
Twelfth  and  Fifteenth  Infantry — of  the  Pillow 
Third  Division.  Advancing  at  the  double,  amidst 
cheers,  they  deployed  beyond  the  mill,  challenging 
the  enemy  to  come  on.  The  new  Mexican  column 
hesitated,  and  well  it  did  so,  for  here  was  still  another 
brigade,  sent  by  General  Scott;  the  Riley  Fourth 
Artillery,  Second  and  Seventh  Infantry,  of  the 
Twiggs  Second  Division,  who  from  the  south  had 
267 


MfiXiCO  Wit H  GENERAL  SCOTT 

ftiarclied  four  miles,  mostly  up  hill  and  at  the  double 
time  to  Tacubaya,  and  thence  over  and  down. 

Magruder's  battery,  which  had  done  such  ser- 
vice at  Contreras,  was  with  it;  swerved  to  the 
west  and  opened  upon  the  lancers;  dispersed  them 
in  disorder. 

The  Mexican  flight  continued ;  the  Mexican  rein- 
forcements countermarched  around  Chapultepec. 
The  battle  had  been  won — won  by  the  First  Division, 
the  Cadwalader  brigade  of  the  Third,  six  companies 
of  cavalry,  Huger's  two  twenty- four-pounders, 
Drum's  three  six-pounders,  and  the  Duncan  spit-fires. 

The  hour  was  ten  o'clock.  Who  would  have 
thought  that  so  much  time  had  passed?  General 
Scott  had  come  upon  the  field.  He  could  be  seen, 
congratulating  General  Worth.  It  was  not  until  noon 
that  the  dead  and  wounded  had  been  placed  in  wagons 
for  Tacubaya.  And  it  was  a  tired  but  triumphant 
column  that  finally  trudged — many  a  man  using  his 
musket  for  a  crutch — up  the  hill  and  back  to  camp. 

At  the  start  the  Casa-Mata  powder  magazine 
exploded  with  loud  burst,  according  to  plan.  The 
smoke  drifted  into  the  faces  of  the  Mexican  garrison 
of  Chapultepec,  who  peered  down  but  stuck  tight. 


XXI 

READY  FOR  ACTION  AGAIN 

THIS  afternoon  the  camp  of  the  First  Division 
and  Cadwalader  Brigade  was  proud  but  saddened: 
proud,  when  the  men  learned  that  with  their  thirty- 
one  hundred  they  had  defeated  fourteen  thousand 
concealed  within  ditches  and  behind  walls  or  massed 
for  support,  with  General  Santa  Anna  himself  look- 
ing on ;  saddened,  when  they  learned  what  the  vic- 
tory had  cost. 

"The  bloodiest  fight,  ag'in  fortifications,  in  Amer- 
ican hist'ry,"  old  Sergeant  Mulligan  pronounced. 

General  Worth  had  acted  rather  blue.  Out  of  his 
thirty-one  hundred  he  had  lost  one  hundred  and  six- 
teen killed,  six  hundred  and  fifty-seven  wounded,  and 
eighteen  missing — probably  dead  or  wounded ;  total, 
seven  hundred  and  thirty-one,  almost  a  fourth  of  his 
whole  number.  And  the  list  o  f  officers  was  appalling : 
fifty-one  of  the  one  hundred  and  seventy  had  fallen. 

Of  the  First  Brigade,  Lieutenant  Thorn,  Colonel 
Garland's  aide-de-camp,  was  severely  wounded;  so 
were  First  Lieutenant  and  Captain  Prince  and  Sec- 
ond Lieutenant  A.  B.  Lincoln  and  Assistant  Surgeon 
Simons,  Fourth  Infantry;  Lieutenants  Shackleford 
and  Daniels,  of  the  Second  Artillery,  were  dying, 
Lieutenant  Armstrong  had  been  killed  outright; 
Captain  George  Ayers  and  Lieutenant  Ferry, 
of  the  Third  Artillery,  had  been  killed;  Captain 
Anderson  wounded. 

In  the  Second  Brigade  brave  Colonel  Mclntosh^ 
269 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

who  commanded,  was  wounded  mortally;  his  aide, 
Lieutenant  Burwell,  was  dead.  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Martin  Scott,  leading  the  Fifth  Infantry,  had  been 
killed.  Major  Waite,  commanding  the  Eighth  In- 
fantry, was  wounded.  And  so  on,  down  through  the 
captains  and  lieutenants. 

In  the  storming  column  Major  Wright,  com- 
manding, and  the  two  engineers,  Captain  Mason  and 
Lieutenant  Foster,  had  been  wounded.  One  volley 
from  the  Mexican  breastworks  had  felled  eleven  out 
of  the  fourteen  officers ! 

The  Eleventh  Infantry  had  lost  its  commander 
also — Lieutenant-Colonel  Graham — killed.  Major 
Savage,  of  the  Fourteenth,  and  Major  Talcott,  of 
the  Voltigeurs,  had  been  wounded.  Four  officers 
of  the  Sumner  squadrons  had  been  struck  down. 

Lieutenant  Grant  had  escaped  again ;  but  Lieuten- 
ant Frederick  Dent,  of  the  Fifth  Infantry,  whose 
sister  was  said  to  be  Lieutenant  Grant's  sweet- 
heart, had  been  wounded,  and  the  lieutenant  was 
much  concerned. 

Jerry,  too,  was  on  tenterhooks  until  he  found 
out  that  Hannibal  Moss,  drummer  boy,  was  not 
among  the  casualties.  He  and  Hannibal  met  while 
looking  for  one  another.  A  number  of  comrades 
were  looking  for  one  another  this  evening.  They, 
too,  shook  hands  thankfully,  and  sank  for  a  talk. 

"  Well,"  said  Hannibal,  "  the  First  Division  did  it 
again,  but  it  was  awful.  Did  you  fellows  have  a 
hard  time?" 

"  Did  we !  Not  a  one  of  us  expected  to 
get  away  alive.  Expect  you  other  fellows  had  i{ 
worse,  though." 

270 


READY  FOR  ACTION  AGAIN 

"  The  poor  old  Eighth  Regiment  Foot,"  Hannibal 
murmured  soberly.  "  That  hurt  General  Worth,  I 
guess,  to  see  us  cut  up  so.  We've  lost  ten  out  of 
twenty  officers.  The  storming  column  didn't  hear  a 
sound  from  those  breastworks — didn't  see  a  sign  of 
life,  hardly,  beyond  the  cactus.  It  was  the  same  with 
the  Second  Brigade  at  the  Casa-Mata,  Then  when 
we  were  right  at  the  trenches,  the  Mexicans  opened 
on  us,  just  mowed  us  down.  Eleven  officers  of  the 
fourteen !  Think  of  that !  I  got  two  bullets  through 
my  uniform  and  a1  handful  through  my  drum.  See 
those  holes  ?  Talk  about  *  brushing  away  the  enemy  1 ' 
My  eye !  Old  Fuss  and  Feathers  was  fooled  for  once. 
We  didn't  gain  much." 

"  We  showed  what  we  could  do  again." 
"  You  can't  show  those  Mexicans  anything.  Lis- 
ten to  that  music?"  For  the  bells  of  the  City  of 
Mexico  were  ringing  madly.  "  The  bells  weren't 
in  the  mill  at  all.  Now  they're  being  rung  for  victory, 
because  we  didn't  take  Chapultepec.  The  Mexicans 
think  we  stopped  short,  and  they're  celebrating." 
Hannibal  shook  his  grimy  fist  at  the  city.  "  You  wait 
till  we  get  breath,"  he  warned. 

"  Suppose  we'll  take  Chapultepec  next." 
"  I  dunno."  And  Hannibal  wagged  his  head. 
"  This  division  ought  to  be  given  a  rest.  We're 
reduced  almost  to  fourteen  hundred.  Since  we 
started  in  at  San  Antonio  we've  lost  eleven  hundred 
men,  some  sick,  but  mainly  killed  and  wounded.  The 
whole  army's  lost  only  nineteen  hundred.  I  guess 
the  First  has  done  its  share  of  fighting." 

"That  leaves  General  Scott  with  about  eight 
thousand." 

271 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

"  Nearer  seven  thousand  in  the  field.  And  Santa 
Anna  has  twenty-five  thousand  still,  I'll  bet  a  cooky." 

"  We've  licked  that  number  before.  Odds  don't 
make  any  difference  to  Scott  men." 

"  Not  much  they  don't,"  Hannibal  agreed.  "  One 
more  of  these  little  'brushes'  and  we'll  be  in  the 
Halls  of  Montezuma." 

All  the  able-bodied  troops  were  paraded  at  nine 
o'clock  the  next  morning,  September  9,  to  witness 
burial.  A  long  trench  had  been  dug  just  outside  the 
village  of  Tacubaya.  The  wagons,  covered  with 
United  States  flags  and  bearing  the  bodies  of  the 
killed  in  the  battle  of  the  eighth,  were  escorted  by 
funeral  squads  from  each  of  the  regiments.  The 
fifes  and  drums  and  a  band,  playing  the  funeral 
march,  accompanied;  the  troops  followed  with 
muskets  at  a  support.  The  tattered  battle  flags  had 
been  draped  with  crape.  The  cannon  fired  minute 
guns  in  solemn  fashion. 

General  Scott  and  staff,  and  all  the  general  and 
field  officers,  stood  with  heads,  bared ;  the  troops,  in 
a  half  square,  presented  arms,  while  the  Episcopal 
church  burial  service  was  read  by  Chaplain  "  Holy 
Joe  "  Morrison.  Then  the  sappers  and  miners  filled 
in  the  trench. 

It  was  a  bright  day.  The  high  parapets  of  Cha- 
pultepec,  to  the  north,  were  thronged  with  Mexican 
soldiers  looking  down  upon  the  ceremony. 

"  B'  gorry,  you'd  better  be  attindin'  your  own 
funerals,"  old  Sergeant  Mulligan  growled  at  them, 
when  the  parade  had  been  dismissed. 

Following  the  battle  of  Molino  del  Rey,  General 
Scott  seemed  to  be  in  no  hurry  to  take  Chapultepec. 
272 


READY  FOR  ACTION  AGAIN 

Rather,  he  acted  as  though  he  might  side-step  Cha- 
pultepec.  The  First  Division  and  the  Cadwalader 
brigade  rested  at  Tacubaya.  The  other  Third  Divi- 
sion brigade — that  of  General  Pierce,  who  was  still 
in  the  hospital  with  his  crippled  knee — under  General 
Pillow  himself  had  been  moved  about  two  miles  east, 
where  with  the  Riley  brigade  of  the  Twiggs  Second 
Division  it  was  covering  the  city's  southern  gates. 

The  engineers  of  Captain  Lee  were  down  there, 
also  reconnoitring. 

"  Dar's  gwine  to  be  anodder  big  battle/*  Pompey 
kept  insisting.  "  Gin'ral  Scott,  he  got  somepin'  up 
his  sleeve." 

Before  daylight  of  September  12,  Jerry,  in  the 
camp  of  the  First  Brigade,  was  half -awakened  by  the 
tread  of  marching  feet  in  the  dusky  outskirts  of 
Tacubaya.  At  reveille  they  all  might  see  that  there 
were  two  camps  between  Tacubaya  and  the  city.  The 
Pillow  camp  had  been  transferred  nearer  and  was 
established  down  toward  the  King's  Mill  in  front  of 
the  town;  while  a  second  bivouac  appeared  not  far 
on  the  east  or  right  of  it  under  Chapultepec. 

The  General  Quitman  Fourth  Division  had 
arrived  at  last  from  San  Augustine :  Brigadier-Gen- 
eral Shields'  New  Yorkers  and  South  Carolinans, 
and  Lieutenant-Colonel  Watson's  Marines  and  Sec- 
ond Pennsylvania^ !  Now  the  only  troops  left  in  the 
rear  were  General  Persifor  Smith's  brigade  of  the 
Second  Division,  being  the  First  Artillery,  the  Third 
Infantry,  and  the  dismounted  Rifles.  But  Taylor's 
light  battery  of  the  First  had  come  up,  it  was  said, 
and  so  had  General  Twiggs. 

There  was  another  suspicious  sight.  During  the 
18  273 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

night  batteries  had  been  emplaced  down  ia  front  of 
Tacubaya  and  facing  Chapultepec.  They  seemed  to 
be  four  sections,  in  pairs.  One  pair,  about  to  open 
up,  was  located  on  the  right  of  the  hill  slope,  near 
the  Quitman  division  and  the  road  leading  from 
Tacubaya  to  the  eastern  foot  of  Chapultepec.  The 
other  pair,  not  yet  quite  ready,  was  located  near  the 
King's  Mill  and  the  Pillow  brigade.  The  engineers 
and  the  artillerymen  had  worked  all  night  planting 
the  batteries. 

It  was  Sunday  morning,  but— - 

"Boom!  Boom-m-m!"  The  heavy  reports 
jarred  the  breakfast  cups  and  platters,  and  rolled 
back  from  the  castle  and  the  city  walls  and  the  moun- 
tains. Everybody  sprang  up  to  see  the  shots  land. 

"  Boom !  Boom !  Boom-m-m !  "  They  were  two 
eig*hteen-pounders  and  an  eight-inch  howitzer  of 
Captain  Huger's  ordnance — a  twenty- four-pounder. 
Dust  from  the  pulverized  stone  and  mortar  floated 
above  the  castle  of  Chapultepec — dirt  and  rock 
spurted  from  the  breastworks  of  the  hillside — the 
Mexican  soldiers  were  ducking  and  scampering.  The 
men  cheered. 

"  Now  let  'em  tend  to  their  own  funerals,  and 
we'll  play  'em  Yankee  Doodle." 

The  other  battery  joined.  The  bombardment  of 
Chapultepec  continued  steadily.  The  Riley  brigade 
of  General  Twiggs  remained  in  the  east  upon  the  first 
main  road  from  the  south  there,  which  entered  the 
gate  in  the  southwest  corner  of  the  city  wall — the 
Belen  gate.  Old  Davy's  two  batteries,  Taylor's,  and 
Steptoe's  Third  Artillery  detached  from  the  Fourth 
Division,  were  peppering  the  gate  and  also  firing 
274 


READY  FOR  ACTION  AGAIN 

upon  the  Mexican  batteries  protecting  the  Contreras 
and  Churubusco  roads,  still  eastward.  The  ringing 
of  musketry  faintly  chimed  in  with  the  loud  booming 
of  the  cannon. 

And  this  was  Sunday! 

Just  what  General  Scott  had  "  up  his  sleeve  "  no- 
body among  the  rank  and  file  knew.  The  officers 
refused  to  talk.  Matters  looked  as  though  Chapul te- 
pee was  to  be  shaken  first,  and  when  it  had  been 
well  battered,  then  of  course  there  would  be  an 
assault.  But  where?  Perhaps  upon  the  southern 
gates,  in  defiance  of  the  weakened  Chapultepec. 

From  the  hill  of  Tacubaya  the  bombardment  was 
pretty  to  witness.  The  American  guns  poured  in 
their  shot  and  shell  with  perfect  aim,  so  that  after 
every  discharge  the  stones  and  dust  and  dirt  were 
lifted  in  showers.  From  half  a  mile  the  citadel  re- 
plied lustily,  at  first  with  ten  pieces,  but  the  firing 
was  wild.  Gradually  the  guns  were  being  silenced ; 
the  garrison  was  drifting  out  for  safety,  and  a  large 
body  of  reinforcements  from  the  city  had  halted  part 
way  to  the  hill,  waiting  for  a  chance  to  enter. 

The  First  Division  men  off  duty  began  to  sift 
down  nearer  to  the  batteries  to  get,  as  Corporal 
Finerty  remarked,  "  a  smell  o'  powder."  Jerry, 
Fifer  O'Toole  and  Hannibal  caught  up  with  the  cor- 
poral on  the  Tacubaya  road  They  four  stood 
behind  battery  Number  i,  which  was  the  two 
eighteen-pounders  and  the  twenty-four-pounder 
howitzer,  commanded  by  Captain  Di^im,  of  the 
Fourth  Artillery. 

A  group  of  the  Palmettos  was  here.  It  was  good 
275 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

to  see  the  Mohawks  again.  Palmettos,  New  Yorkers, 
and  Keystoners— they  had  a  fighting  reputation. 

"  Howdy?  "  the  South  Carolinans  greeted  easily. 
They  were  a  set  of  men  who  usually  said  little. 

"  Same  to  you,"  Corporal  Kinerty  answered. 
"  An*  faith,  you've  been  a  long  time  comin'.  For 
why  do  yez  trail  through  by  night,  wakin'  up  a  camp 
that's  tired  wid  hard  fightin'  ?  " 

"  Well,  pardner,  you  talk  like  you  want  to  hawg 
all  the  fun,"  they  replied.  "  To-morrow  well  see 
who's  first  up  that  hill — the  Volunteers  or  you  Regu- 
lars. Even  start,  my  bucko." 

"  If  you  know  annything,  out  wid  it,"  Corporal 
Finerty  demanded.  "  Do  we  storm  Chapultepec, 
you  say?" 

"  Would  we  make  a  forced  march  by  night  for 
less,  Mister  Regular?" 

"  Sure,  now,  what's  the  use  o'  foolin'  wid  Cha- 
pultepec ?  "  retorted  the  corporal.  "  Let  the  ar-r-til- 
lery  tind  to  that,  an'  wait  a  bit  an'  we'll  open  thim 
southern  gates  for  yez,  so  yez  can  come  in  at  'ase." 

"  Never  you  mind  those  south  gates.  It's  Cha- 
pultepec or  nothing,  for  the  army's  going  in  by  the 
west.  The  engineers  decided  that  long  ago.  We 
heard  the  talk  at  the  battery  before  you  fellows 
were  up.  Those  roads  from  the  south  are  no  good, 
Mister.  Every  one  leads  through  marshes  and  is 
flanked  by  ditches  and  cut  by  batteries  and  other 
ditches,  and  there's  a  thundering  big  canal  running 
'round  the  city  walls.  And  the  marshes  and  the 
ditches  and  the  canal  are  full  o'  water.  So  'tis  this 
way,  Mister:  we-all  and  the  Pillow  men  scouted 
about  yesterday,  backing  up  Twiggs,  for  a  showing 
276 


READY  FOR  ACTION  AGAIN 

ag'in  the  south.  But  we  were  ordered  to  trapse  hyar 
in  front  o'  Chapultepec  by  night,  leaving  only  Old 
Davy  and  his  Riley  brigade  for  a  feint.  And  to- 
morrow we-all  are  going  to  see  the  elephant  on  top 
o'  yonder  hill." 

"  B'gorry,  you  could  fetch  no  better  news,  lads," 
spoke  the  corporal.  "  There  be  fourteen  hundred  o' 
the  First  Division  lift,  to  turn  their  backs  on  the  rist 
o'  the  army  an'  their  faces  on  the  enemy." 

"  Nary,  corporal,"  they  answered.  "  The  Pal- 
mettos have  something  to  say  to  that.  It's  been 
powerful  slow,  pardner,  sitting  in  the  south  whilst 
you  fellows  in  the  north  have  been  burning  powder. 
The  Fourth  Division  will  be  first  up  that  hill  or  bust." 

An  aide  from  Captain  Huger,  who  directed  the 
general  bombardment,  rode  along  the  line  of  bat- 
teries waving  the  spectators  back. 

"  You  can't  stay  here,  men.  By  orders  of  Captain 
Huger  the  field  must  be  cleared.  You're  furnishing 
the  enemy  with  too  large  a  mark." 

So  they  all  had  to  leave. 

The  bombardment,  increased  by  the  batteries  on 
the  mill  side,  continued  all  day  and  closed  only  with 
darkness.  The  citadel  of  Chapultepec  appeared  to 
have  been  pretty  well  "  shaken." 

"  'Tis  cruel  hard  on  thim  young  cadets,"  said  old 
Sergeant  Mulligan  at  supper  mess.  "  I  hear  tell  that 
some  of  'em  are  mere  lads  scarce  able  to  showlder 
a  musket.  Now  I  wonder  if  they  aren't  bein'  sint 
down  to  ,the  city  to  their  mothers,  where  they 
belong.  I'm  hopin'  so.  We  don't  want  to  be  after 
killin'  boys" 

277 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

Lieutenant  Grant  passed  along  the  line  of  com- 
pany fires. 

"  Parade  the  men  for  inspection  at  eight  o'clock, 
sergeant,"  he  instructed,  "  in  light  marching  order, 
with  cartridge  boxes  filled  and  two  days'  rations." 

"  For  the  love  o'  Hiven,  left'nant,"  the  sergeant 
pleaded  at  salute,  "  tell  me :  Do  we  be  takin' 
Chapultepec?" 

"  The  First  Division  has  orders  to  support  the 
Pillow  assaulting  column  on  the  west.  The  Quit- 
man  division,  supported  by  the  General  Smith  bri- 
gade of  the  Second,  will  assault  on  the  south." 

"  Support,  ye  say,  left'nant?  But  we  get  into  it, 
don't  we,  sorr?  They  won't  1'ave  out  the  ould 
First  Division?  " 

"  We  haven't  been  left  out  of  anything  lately,  as 
I  notice,"  Lieutenant  Grant  grimly  replied. 

The  sergeant  reseated  himself. 

"  To-morrow,  lads,"  he  said.  "  We've  wan  or 
two  good  fights  raymainin'  in  our  packs,  I  guiss. 
Enough  to  shame  those  daysarters  wid,  I'm  thinkin'. 
You've  heard  they've  been  put  through — a  part  o' 
thim — already?" 

"When?" 

"  Two  days  since,  back  at  San  Angel  in  the  Sec- 
ond Division  camp.  Sixteen  of  'em  hanged,  an' 
nine  dishonorably  dismissed  by  order  o'  Gin'ral  Scott, 
wid  a  big  '  D  '  branded  on  their  cheeks.  The  rist'll 
be  attinded  to  soon,  now.  But  sure,  boys,  I'd  rather 
be  amongst  those  who  be  hanged  than  amongst  the 
traitorous  livin',  condemned  to  hear  the  sound  o'  the 
guns  o'  Chapultepec  firin'  on  brave  men  bearin'  the 
flag  o'  my  country." 


XXII 

STORMING  CHAPULTEPEC 

The  First  Division  spent  the  night  at  the  King's 
Mill.  The  Cadwalader  brigade  joined  its  comrade 
brigade  of  the  Third  Division,  and  General  Pillow 
moved  down*  to  the  mill  also,  in  readiness  for  the 
assault  by  the  west  slope  of  Chapultepec  rock. 

Before  the  First  Division  companies  had  been 
dismissed  for  the  night,  by  orders  of  General  Worth 
two  hundred  and  fifty  men  and  ten  officers  had  been 
told  off  as  a  storming  party  to  serve  with  the 
Third  Division  in  attacking  Chapultepec.  Captain 
McKenzie,  of  the  Second  Artillery,  was  to  be 
the  commander. 

Old  Sergeant  Mulligan  figured  among  the  happy 
ones  accepted. 

"  Hooray !  Thirty  years  I've  worn  the  uniform, 
an'  to-morrow  '11  be  the  best  day  o'  my  life.  Ah,  boys ! 
I'd  climb  that  hill  by  meself  wid  only  a  shilaly, 
rather  'n  stay  below." 

"  You  have  the  luck  of  the  mess,  sergeant,"  they 
admitted.  "  Now,  couldn't  you  sneak  a  few  of  us 
along  with  you?  " 

"  Faith,  mebbe  there'll  be  work  for  you  the  same. 
Not  into  the  city  we  are  yet.  But  I'll  have  a  grand 
view  of  it  from  atop  the  big  buildin'  high  on 
yon  rock." 

Except  for  the  two  hundred  and  sixty  as  storming 
column,  the  First  Division  was  to  remain  below  in 
reserve.  That  was  a  disappointment.  Jerry  heard 
279 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

himself  growling  about  it  with  the  others.  Hannibal 
had  not  got  in  on  the  attack  either — but  Hannibal 
had  been  with  the  storming  column  of  September  8, 
when  the  mill  and  Casa-Mata  had  yielded,  and  he 
ought  to  be  willing  to  give  place  to  somebody  else. 
Captain  Gore,  and  Lieutenant  Smith,  and  Lieuten- 
ant Grant  had  missed  out  also.  The  Fourth  Regi- 
ment had  supplied  Lieutenants  Rogers  and  Maloney ; 
and  Company  B  had  supplied  Sergeant  Mulligan,  the 
"  top  "  sergeant  of  the  whole  division. 

Jerry  cogitated.  The  column  had  been  made  up 
— was  under  orders  to  report  to  General  Pillow  be- 
fore the  engagement  in  the  morning.  There  seemed 
no  hope  for  the  rest  of  them. 

The  night  was  rather  noisy,  with  considerable 
skirmishing  by  outposts,  and  a  constant  movement 
upon  the  hill,  as  though  the  enemy  was  getting  ready, 
too,  for  the  morrow. 

In  the  pink  of  the  morning  the  bombardment  by 
the  heavy  batteries  reopened.  General  Twiggs' 
guns,  on  the  roads  from  the  south  to  the  city  gates, 
likewise  went  into  action.  The  Mexicans  were  try- 
ing to  reinforce  Chapultepec  again,  and  they  had 
occupied  a  long  trench  behind  the  wall  at  the  foot  of 
the  cypress  grove  just  east  of  the  mill. 

The  two  heavy  batteries  here,  one  in  the  mill  and 
one  south  of  it,  were  firing  away  upon  Chapultepec, 
but  General  Pillow  made  other  preparations.  He 
stationed  two  pieces  from  Magruder's  First  Artil- 
lery battery,  under  Second  Lieutenant  Thomas  J. 
Jackson,  to  watch  the  same  cavalry  column  that  had 
threatened  in  the  northwest  at  the  battle  of  Sep- 
280 


STORMING  CHAPULTEPEC 

tember  8  and  now  seemed  inclined  to  come  in1. 
And  he  directed  that  two  of  Lieutenant  Reno's 
mountain  howitzers  (of  the  Callender  battery  which 
had  won  fame  at  Contreras)  be  placed  to  shell  the 
Mexican  long  trench. 

The  storming  column  of  the  First  Division  stood 
formed,  carrying  scaling  ladders,  fascines  or  bunches 
of  fagots  for  filling  ditches,  pickaxes  and  crowbars. 
The  Voltigeurs  and  the  Ninth  and  Fifteenth  Infantry 
under  General  Cadwalader  were  to  support  the 
storming  column.  The  Eleventh  and  the  Fourteenth 
were  to  support  Lieutenant  Jackson's  battery  section 
and  head  off  the  cavalry  gathered  in  the  northwest. 
The  other  regiment  of  the  Third  Division,  the 
Twelfth  Infantry,  and  the  Third  Dragoons  had  been 
left  to  guard  Tacubaya  and  one  of  the  supply 
bases  south. 

Soon  after  breakfast  another  American  column 
appeared,  marching  in  for  the  south  side  of  Chapulte- 
pec.  It  was  the  General  Persifor  Smith  brigade  of 
General  Twiggs'  Second  Division:  the  First  Artil- 
lery, the  Third  Infantry,  and  the  Mounted  Rifles 
afoot.  The  Quitman  Fourth  Division  of  Volunteers 
and  Marines  and  the  Smith  brigade  were  to  assault 
the  rock  of  Chapultepec  from  the  south  and  the 
southeast,  while  the  Pillow  men  assaulted  it  from  the 
west.  The  Colonel  Riley  brigade  of  the  Second 
Division — the  Fourth  Artillery,  the  Second  Infan- 
try and  the  Seventh  Infantry,  with  Taylor's  First 
Artillery  battery  and  Steptoe's  battery  of  the  Fourth 

1  Second  Lieutenant  Thomas  J.  Jackson  became  the  cele- 
brated "  Stonewall "  Jackson,  Confederate  general  in  the 
Civil  War. 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

Artillery — were  to  hammer  the  south  gates  as  a  blind. 

The  army  for  action  numbered  about  seven  thou- 
sand. The  Mexicans  were  supposed  to  be  defending 
Chapultepec  with  seven  batteries  and  seven  breast- 
works, manned  by  two  thousand  to  six  thousand 
troops.  And  Santa  Anna  had  fifteen  or  twenty  thou- 
sand troops  in  reserve. 

The  wait  proved  very  long.  The  heavy  batteries 
thundered,  sprinkling  the  castle  of  Chapultepec  and 
the  entrenchments  with  solid  shot  and  shell.  The 
Lieutenant  Reno  howitzers  paid  especial  attention 
to  the  wall  at  the  foot  of  the  hill  and  the  ditch  behind 
it.  The  roof-tops  of  Tacubaya  and  of  all  the  build- 
ings extending  along  the  Tacubaya  road  to  Chapulte- 
pec were  black  with  spectators ;  the  walls  and  roofs 
of  the  City  of  Mexico  were  crowded  like  the  seats 
of  an  amphitheater. 

The  sun  was  high  when,  at  a  quarter  to  eight 
o'clock  on  this  morning  of  September  13,  two  aides 
galloped  out  from  General  Scott's  headquarters  in 
Tacubaya,  Down  they  came,  the  one  straight  for  the 
Quitman  column,  the  other  for  the  mill.  They  paused 
an  instant  to  say  something  to  the  heavy  batteries, 
and  continued  at  full  speed. 

"  General  Pillow !  The  commander-in-chief 's 
compliments,  and  he  directs  that  when  the  batteries 
cease  firing,  in  a  few  minutes,  you  will  at  once  pro- 
ceed with  your  column  to  the  attack." 

General  Pillow  faced  his  troops. 

"  Attention !  We  are  about  to  storm  the  hill,  my 
lads.  We  shall  take  it  with  the  bayonet  in  thirty 
minutes,  remember." 

"Huzzah!" 

383 


STORMING  CHAPULTEPEC 

Suddenly  every  battery  was  quiet.  The  silence 
fell  like  a  blanket 

"  Voltigeurs,  forward !    Run !  " 

In  two  detachments,  led  by  Colonel  Andrews  and 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Joseph  E.  Johnston,  the  eight 
companies  of  Voltigeurs  or  Light  Riflemen  sprang 
out,  rifles  at  a  trail. 

"  Ready,  Captain  McKenzie.  Ready,  General 
Cadwalader." 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Johnston's  detachment  had 
charged  on  the  right  for  a  break  made  by  the  how- 
itzers in  the  wall.  The  Colonel  Andrews  detach- 
ment charged  straight  ahead.  So  quick  they  all  were 
that  they  had  received  only  one  volley  from  the  ditch 
at  the  edge  of  the  cypresses  before  the  Johnston 
men  were  through  the  break  and  inside  the  defenses, 
and  the  Andrews  men  were  scrambling  over  the  wall 
itself.  The  ditch  had  been  enfiladed  in  a  twinkling; 
the  Mexican  infantry  dived  out  and  scampered  into 
the  trees. 

The  howitzers  changed  fire  to  the  trees ;  one  gun 
limbered  up  to  advance  by  rushes — 

"  Stormers  and  infantry,  forward !  Double 
time!" 

General  Pillow  dashed  on  with  them  upon  his 
horse.  The  storming  column,  bearing  their  fascines 
or  fagot  bundles  and  ladders — two  men  to  a  ladder — 
passed  close  to  the  Fourth  Infantry.  Without  a  word 
Jerry  darted  from  place  (he  simply  could  stand  still 
no  longer)  and  beating  his  drum  ran  to  the  head 
of  the  platoons. 

He  thought  that  he  heard  shouts — angry  shouts ; 
but  he  did  not  care.  His  heart  was  thumping  and  the 
283 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

heavy  batteries  had  opened  again,  deluging  Chapulte- 
pec;  so  he  may  not  have  heard. 

Captain  McKenzie  espied  him. 

'What's  this?    What  are  you  doing  here?  " 

'  You'll  need  a  drummer,  sir." 

'  Who  sent  you  in?  " 

'  Nobody,  sir." 

'  Then  go  back  immediately.  Fall  out! " 

Jerry  stepped  aside ;  the  column  hurried  by.  He 
heard  another  voice.  It  was  that  of  Sergeant 
Mulligan. 

"  Sure,"  said  the  sergeant,  with  a  wink,  "  we've 
no  time  to  waste  argufyin'.  Wance  in  the  trees,  an* 
nobody  '11  see  ye." 

Captain  McKenzie  was  before  and  busy;  prob- 
ably had  forgotten  all  about  the  matter.  The  other 
officers  also  had  eyes  and  ears  mainly  for  the  front. 
The  Cadwalader  regiments  were  close  behind.  In 
the  scramble  over  the  wall  there  was  a  mixup.  Jerry 
stuck.  Worming  on  again  he  made  for  the  storming 
column  once  more. 

Rifles  and  muskets  were  cracking  ahead.  The 
Voltigeurs,  searching  the  trees,  yelled  and  fired ;  the 
enemy  replied  The  storming  column,  outstripped 
in  the  race,  pressed  faster.  Assuredly  in  this  hub- 
bub no  one  would  bother  about  a  drummer  boy. 

General  Pillow  on  his  horse  pushed  to  the  fore. 
The  Mexican  skirmishers  and  the  infantry  from  the 
ditch  could  be  glimpsed,  scurrying  out  of  the  timber 
for  shelter  higher  up.  The  howitzers  were  coming — 
they  tore  through,  horses  tugging,  cannoneers  shov- 
ing, and  from  above  the  Mexican  guns  were  throwing 
grape  and  shell  down  the  hill  into  the  wood.  The 
284 


STORMING  CHAPULTEPEC 

boughs   of   the   trees  cracked   and   slithered;   the 
twigs  flew. 

The  storming  column,  laden  with  the  ladders 
and  fascines  and  tools,  did  not  move  as  rapidly  as  the 
light  riflemen.  Jerry,  excited  to  his  finger  tips, 
scarcely  knew  what  he  was  doing,  but  he  wished  to 
get  out  of  that  awful  mess  of  falling  trees  and  blind- 
ing smoke.  Soon  he  found  himself  up  with  the 
Voltigeurs,  as  they  emerged  into  the  rock-strewn 
open  at  the  farther  edge  of  the  wood. 

Now  there  was  a  redoubt  or  system  of  fortified 
entrenchments  halfway  on  to  the  castle.  That  it  was 
which  was  pouring  out  the  canister  and  shell  to 
sweep  the  slope  below  it.  General  Pillow's  horse 
reared  and  turned,  while  the  general  tried  to  control 
it  and  shout  his  orders.  The  Voltigeurs,  leaping  from 
boulder  to  boulder,  taking  what  shelter  they  could 
get,  left  a  wake  of  dead  and  disabled.  This  fire 
from  above  was  fearful — a  constant  stream  of  lead 
and  iron.  Was  the  attack  to  be  stopped?  Where 
were  the  stormers  and  the  two  regiments  of  infan- 
try? Toiling  up  as  fast  as  they  could. 

General  Pillow  toppled  free  from  his  horse,  which 
bolted.  Jerry  reached  him  where  he  had  half  set  up 
bleeding  from  a  grape  shot  through  his  chest,  and 
supported  by  an  aide. 

"The  reserve,  quick!"  he  gasped.  "Where's 
Worth's  aide  ?  Tell  him  to  have  Worth  bring  up  his 
whole  division  and  make  great  haste  or  he'll  be 
too  late." 

The  group  scattered.    Jerry,  legging  recklessly, 
as  luck  would  have  it  met  Lieutenant  Wood,  Gen- 
eral Worth's  aide,  galloping  in. 
285 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

"  Lieutenant  Wood !  Here,  sir.  General  Pillow 
asks  help.  The  whole  division,  sir.  Quick !" 

"  Did  he  say  so?  "  demanded,  Lieutenant  Wood, 
reining  short. 

"  Yes,  sir.    He's  wounded." 

"Who  are  you?" 

"Jerry  Cameron,  sir;  drummer,  Company  B, 
Fourth  Infantry." 

Lieutenant  Wood  whirled  his  horse  and  sped 
down  for  the  mill.  Jerry  panted  back  for  General 
Pillow,  but  the  general  had  not  waited.  The  Vol- 
tigeurs  were  acting  as  if  crazy.  They  were  shouting 
"  Vengeance !  Vengeance !  "  and  were  charging  the 
redoubt,  a  squad  of  them  carrying  General  Pillow  on 
a  stretcher  of  rifles  and  a  blanket.  He  had  refused 
to  be  taken  rearward. 

The  rocky  slope  below  the  redoubt  was  alive 
with  the  riflemen,  yelling,  firing,  stooping  and  rush- 
ing. But  they  slowed  up — they  took  to  cover — they 
could  not  outface  the  blast  of  musketry  and  grape. 
What  next?  Huzzah!  Here  was  the  support  at  last : 
the  storming  column  and  the  Fifteenth  Infantry. 
With  a  cheer  and  a  volley  the  Fifteenth  charged, 
bayonets  leveled,  straight  for  the  redoubt,  while  the 
two  howitzers,  hauled  by  their  cannoneers,  unlim- 
bered  against  the  north  angle,  and  the  Voltigeurs 
rallied  to  storm  from  the  right. 

On  went  Jerry  behind  the  gallant  Fifteenth.  The 
Fifteenth  piled  in,  the  Mexicans  broke  in  flight  to  the 
north  and  the  city.  Jerry  piled  in.  A  Mexican 
officer  had  stooped  to  touch  a  slow-match  to  the 
fuse  of  a  mine,  but  the  musket  balls  hurled  him 
aside,  wounded. 

286 


STORMING  CHAPULTEPEC 

The  redoubt  had  been  seized.  What  now?  The 
ranks  looked  small,  the  castle  wall  was  far  above. 
The  charge  had  advanced  only  half  distance  to  it. 
The  storming  column  had  dropped  their  ladders  in 
their  mad  race  to  join  the  fighting.  Here  came 
General  Cadwalader  to  take  command,  his  horse 
afoam.  While  waiting  for  the  ladders  with  which 
to  scale  the  castle  walls,  the  men  distributed  them- 
selves as  best  they  could  for  shelter  from  the  plunging 
fire  of  the  castle.  They  and  the  howitzers  replied 
briskly.  But  here  came  the  panting,  cheering 
Ninth,  bringing  the  ladders. 

The  heavy  batteries  in  the  valley  were  still  bom- 
barding the  castle. 

"The  enemy's  weakening,  men!  Forward!" 
General  Cadwalader  shouted.  He  may  not  have  been 
heard ;  the  men  knew,  anyway.  The  Voltigeurs,  led 
on  their  left  by  Colonel  Andrews,  on  their  right  by 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Joe  Johnston,  plunged  into  the 
open,  to  fight  up  the  steep  slope  to  the  castle. 

The  storming  column  was  hot  after ;  deploying, 
the  Ninth  and  the  Fifteenth  followed  hard.  Jerry, 
shouting  and  beating  his  drum  regardless  of  tune, 
ran  with  the  rest.  They  were  not  going  to  wait  for 
the  reinforcements  from  the  First  Division,  Off  to 
the  south  another  battle  raged,  where  the  Quitman 
men  were  busy. 

The  front  line  worked  its  way  clear  to  the  outer 
wall  of  the  castle.  There  the  Colonel  Andrews  Vol- 
tigeurs crouched  in  holes  and  behind  rocks  and  picked 
off  the  gunners  and  sharpshooters  upon  the  parapets. 
The  detachment  under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Joe 
Johnston  filed  rapidly  to  the  right  for  the  southern 
287 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

face  of  the  wan.  Cheers  drifted  up  from  below.  The 
reinforcements  were  nearing. 

But  the  stormers  and  the  Ninth  and  Fifteenth, 
with  the  ladders,  arrived  first.  The  Voltigeurs  had 
been  halted  by  a  wide  deep  ditch  at  the  foot  of  the 
wall.  The  bundles  of  fascines  were  passed  forward 
and  tossed  into  the  ditch  by  the  stormers  for  path- 
ways; squads  of  men  rushed  with  the  ladders;  fell; 
rushed  again — Look !  Lieutenant  Armistead,  of  the 
volunteer  stormers  from  the  Sixth  Regiment,  had 
planted  his  ladder!  Down  he  sank,  wounded — his 
men  swarmed  up  nevertheless — other  ladders  were 
in  place — some  lurched  aside  or  were  hurled  back — 
the  Mexicans  upon  the  walls  threw  hand  grenades, 
stabbed  with  swords  and  bayonets  and  fired  down- 
ward, but  men  were  climbing  to  them  hand  over  hand 
like  monkeys,  paused  for  an  instant  to  shoot  and  stab 
and  club,  then  disappeared.  By  tens  and  twenties  the 
files  mounted  and  leaped  over,  faster  and  faster; 
and  the  next  thing  that  Jerry  knew  he  was  in- 
side, himself. 

Huzzah !  The  reinforcements  had  joined.  They 
were  the  Clarke  Second  Brigade — they  bore  the 
colors  of  the  Fifth,  Sixth  and  Eighth  Infantry. 
Jerry  dimly  saw  Hannibal  in  the  ranks  of  the  Eighth. 
There  was  a  company  of  the  Quitman  New  Yorkers, 
also — and  of  Marines,  who  somehow  had  got  mixed 
in  with  the  right  of  the  brigade  on  the  way  up. 

The  space  within  the  walls  on  the  west  and  south- 
west of  the  castle  formed  a  large  yard.  All  the 
yard  fumed  with  smoke  from  the  belching  castle  and 
from  the  return  fire. 

The  Reno  howitzers  had  been  dragged  in,  the  cap- 
288 


STORMING  CHAPULTEPEC 

tured  guns  of  the  outer  wall  were  being  reversed. 
The  storming  squads  with  the  ladders  ran,  heads 
down,  across  the  yard  for  the  castle  walls ;  the  Vol- 
tigeurs  and  the  infantry  regiments  (the  New  York 
company  and  the  Marines,  too)  fired  furiously  from 
cover  or  in  the  open,  helping  the  cannon  drive  the 
castle  defenders  from  parapets  and  windows.  The 
clangor  was  prodigious. 

Jerry  seemed  to  see  everything  at  once:  the 
struggling  flags,  the  waving  swords  of  the  officers,  the 
figures,  rising,  falling,  rising  and  charging  on;  the 
red  caps  of  the  Mexican  soldiery  and  the  pompons 
of  the  boy  cadets  fringing  the  parapets  and  the  win- 
dows ;  the  cannon  and  the  muskets  smoking,  and  the 
bodies  now  and  then  sprawling  in  a  lax  heap. 

Huzzah !  Somebody  was  up — an  officer  in  blue, 
his  head  bare,  the  flag  of  the  Eighth  Infantry  at  his 
back.  He  was  Second  Lieutenant  Joseph  Selden,  of 
Hannibal's  company.  A  moment  he  stood,  but  for 
only  a  moment.  Down  he  fell,  sweeping  his  party 
from  the  ladder.  The  wall  had  been  saved.  Not  for 
long,  though!  Huzzah!  The  great  embroidered 
flag  of  the  castle  had  drooped;  a  grape  shot  had 
severed  its  staff.  No— it  was  hoisted  again ;  a  slen- 
der little  fellow — a  Mexican  military  cadet — had 
wriggled  up  the  staff  and  re  fastened  the  banner. 
Brave  boy!  The  troops  cheered  him. 

Now  there  was  another,  louder  cheer.  The  para- 
pets were  being  occupied  by  fighting  blue  coats.  Two 
flags  had  been  planted :  a  Voltigeur  flag  and  a  New 
York  flag,  upon  a  terrace,  by  two  officers.  The 
Voliigeur  officer  was  Captain  Barnard;  the  New 
Yorker  was  said  to  be  Lieutenant  Mayne  Reid.  The 
19  289 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

men  were  battling  their  way  through,  everywhere — 
into  the  doors  and  windows  and  over  the  portico  and 
the  cornices.  Another  officer — Major  Seymour,  of 
the  Ninth — springing  high,  tore  down  the  Mexican 
colors  from  the  broken  staff;  the  Stars  and  Stripes 
rose  in  their  place. 

The  Mexican  soldiers  were  crying  "  Quarter !  " 
or  fleeing.  Among  them  were  many  of  the  cadets. 
There  was  another  hearty  cheer;  the  banners  of  New 
York,  South  Carolina  and  Pennsylvania  were  tossing 
over  a  mass  of  blue  jostling  through  a  breach  in  the 
out-walls  on  the  south  and  southeast,  and  charging 
into  the  yard.  General  Shields  was  here,  his  left 
arm  reddened. 

The  castle  of  Chapultepec  had  been  taken,  but 
heavy  firing  continued  in  the  east.  The  Marines 
and  the  General  Persifor  Smith  brigade,  of  the  Sec- 
ond Division,  were  being  held  by  batteries  down 
toward  the  road  on  that  side.  The  cannon  of  the 
castle  were  turned  in  that  direction ;  they  and  muskets 
and  rifles  volleyed  into  the  backs  of  the  enemy. 
Now  the  Marines  were  fighting  hand  to  hand  with  the 
nearest  battery.  The  Mexicans  burst  from  the  breast- 
works, went  streaming  for  the  northeast  and  the  city. 
The  Marines  came  on. 

"Cease  firing!  Cease  firing,  men!"  Officers 
were  running  around,  striking  up  the  musket  barrels 
with  the  flats  of  their  swords.  "  It's  all  over.  Don't 
fight ;  cheer.  Leave  those  poor  wretches  alone." 


XXIII 

FORCING  THE  CITY  GATES 

GENERAL  BRAVO,  commanding  the  castle,  had  sur- 
rendered his  sword.  A  young  New  Yorker,  Lieu- 
tenant Charles  Brower,  was  conducting  him  to  Gen- 
eral Quitman,  who  had  just  arrived.  General  Pillow 
was  here,  pale  and  breathing  hard  and  unable  to 
stand.  He  had  been  carried  right  along  with 
the  column. 

All  was  confusion,  of  shouting  soldiers,  waving 
their  caps  and  capering  and  shaking  hands;  of 
wounded,  both  Americans  and  Mexicans — the 
bravest  among  them  being  the  little  Mexican  cadets ; 
of  officers  trying  to  rally  their  companies,  and  so 
forth  and  so  forth.  Eight  hundred  prisoners  were 
assembled  under  guard. 

Jerry  heard  excited  talk.  The  Voltigeurs  of  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Joe  Johnston  claimed  to  have  been 
the  first  to  plant  a  flag;  the  New  York  company,  of 
Lieutenant  Mayne  Reid,  disputed.  The  Volunteers 
were  singing  their  "  Green  grow  the  rushes,  O !  "  The 
Palmettos  had  charged  up  the  hill  without  firing  a 
shot ;  the  bayonet  was  their  weapon.  News  flashed 
thick  and  fast.  Colonel  Ransom,  of  the  Ninth  Infan- 
try, had  been  killed.  So  had  Major  Twiggs,  of  the 
Marines — brother  to  Old  Davy — while  leading  a 
detachment  of  Volunteers  in  the  Quitman  two  storm- 
ing columns.  The  Quitman  stormers  had  lost  both 
their  commanding  officers,  for  Captain  Casey,  of  the 
Second  Infantry,  had  fallen  also. 
291 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

In  the  Pillow  storming  column  Lieutenant 
Rogers,  of  the  Fourth  Infantry,  was  dying;  so  said 
Sergeant  Mulligan;  Lieutenant  J.  P.  Smith,  of  the 
Fifth  Infantry,  was  dead;  Lieutenant  Armistead,  of 
the  Sixth,  who  had  placed  the  first  ladder,  was 
badly  wounded. 

But  here  was  Hannibal. 

"  How'd  you  get  on  top  ?  "  he  demanded. 

"  Guess  I  ran  off." 

"  And  you'll  get  a  jolly  good  wigging  for  it. 
You'll  get  the  guard-house.  No,  maybe  you  won't — 
not  after  a  victory.  But  wasn't  that  a  fight  ?  " 

"I  should  rather  say!" 

"  The  old  Eighth  is  cut  up  again.  Lieutenant 
Selden  was  first  on  the  castle,  though.  They  don't 
think  he'll  die.  Lieutenants  Longstreet  and  Pickett 
and  Merchant  are  wounded.  Longstreet  was  carry- 
ing the  regimental  colors." 

"  Where's  my  brigade?  " 

"  Down  below.  Worth  had  to  keep  somebody, 
didn't  he?  We  aren't  into  the  city  yet.  Hurray! 
There's  Old  Fuss  and  Feathers!  " 

General  Scott  had  arrived.  What  a  scene  that 
was !  The  soldiers  acted  more  crazed  than  ever ;  they 
thronged  about  his  horse  as  they  had  thronged  at 
Churubusco ;  they  cheered  and  waved  and  cried.  He 
tried  to  speak — he  tried  to  grasp  their  hands — he 
was  almost  dragged  from  the  saddle.  His  cheeks 
were  wet,  his  eyes  brimming. 

"  Fellow  soldiers !  "  he  shouted.  "  You  have  this 
day  been  baptized  in  blood  and  fire,  and  you  have 
come  out  steel." 

292 


FORCING  THE  CITY  GATES 

He  made  his  way  to  the  castle  stairs,  and  dis- 
mounting  went  inside  through  the  portico. 

"  Come  on,"  Hannibal  bade.    "  Let's  go  on  up." 

They  followed  in  with  the  cheering  men.  The 
roof  of  the  castle  was  flat.  General  Scott  had  taken 
position  here,  and  was  examining  the  country  below 
with  his  glass.  It  was  a  stirring  view  to  all.  To 
the  right  or  east  there  was  a  broad  smooth  road, 
divided  through  the  middle  by  a  many-arched  aque- 
duct or  stone  conduit  for  water,  connecting  the  east 
foot  of  the  hill  with  the  city  wall;  to  the  left  there 
was  another  broad  road,  with  aqueduct,  diverging 
northeast  for  the  city  wall  farther  in  the  north. 
This  was  the  longer  road,  say  a  mile.  And  both  roads 
were  jammed  with  the  Mexican  troops  retreating 
from  Chapultepec  in  two  red  and  blue  and  yellow 
and  green  currents,  with  the  darker  blue  of  the 
American  reserve  swirling  on,  after  an  interval, 
in  pursuit. 

Th«  roads  were  dotted  with  smoke  bursts  of  gun- 
fire from  batteries  in  action.  The  angle  between  the 
two  roads  likewise  was  dotted  with  islands  of  smoke, 
where  other  Mexican  batteries  essayed  to  stay  the 
American  columns  by  flank  fire. 

"  Those  are  our  fellows  on  that  north  road," 
Hannibal  asserted.  "  There's  your  First  Brigade,  I'll 
bet;  'Leventh  and  Fourteenth  of  the  Third  Division, 
too.  They're  making  for  the  San  Cosme  gate.  Some 
of  Quitman's  troops  are  following  up  on  that 
Belen  gate  road.  Must  be  the  Smith  brigade  of 
th«  Second." 

"  I'm  going  down  to  my  regiment,"  Jerry  ex- 
293 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

claimed.      "  That's    where    my    place    is,     with 
the  Fourth." 

General  Scott  had  turned  to  an  aide  and  was 
speaking  rapidly.  His  great  form  had  swelled,  his 
keen  gray  eyes  shone  bright  with  pride  and  hope. 

"  Direct  General  Clarke  to  march  his  brigade  at 
once  and  unite  with  the  other  troops  under  General 
Worth.  The  Worth  column  is  to  push  on  as  fast  as 
possible  and  clear  the  road  to  the  San  Cosme  gate. 
Heavy  artillery  will  be  sent  to  him  from  the  siege 
batteries."  And  to  another  aide :  "  Direct  General 
Cadwalader  to  detach  his  Ninth  Infantry,  of  the 
Pierce  brigade,  to  the  support  of  General  Quitman 
on  the  Belen  road.  The  Fifteenth  Infantry  will 
occupy  Chapultepec.  With  his  own  brigade  he  will 
be  prepared  to  support  General  Worth." 

The  two  aides  hastened  away.  Hannibal  was 
as  quick. 

"  Come  on,"  he  cried  to  Jerry.  "  We'll  all  be 
there.  You  can  fall  in  with  the  Eighth." 

"No,  I'm  not  afraid.  I'll  go  back  with  the 
storming  column." 

They  rushed  down  together  into  the  yard. 

The  recall  for  the  Second  Brigade  regiments  was 
being  sounded  by  the  drums.  The  soldiers  hustled. 
Jerry  found  the  Captain  McKenzie  stormers  and 
joined  the  ranks.  The  captain  glanced  sharply  at 
him  and  half  smiled. 

"You're  liable  to  arrest,  you  young  rascal,  for 
deserting  your  company,"  he  uttered.  "  Report  to 
your  proper  command  as  soon  as  we  get  down. 
What's  your  regiment?  " 

"  The  Fourth  Infantry,  sir." 
294 


FORCING  THE  CITY  GATES 

"  Very  good." 

In  a  few  minutes  they  all  were  descending  from 
the  hill  top.  The  storming  column  took  the  route  of 
a  long  flight  of  white  stone  steps  leading  down  to  the 
San  Cosme  road  on  the  north.  Several  soldiers  from 
the  First  Brigade  had  come  up  to  see  the  battlefield. 
Jerry  recognized  Sergeant  Reeves,  of  Company  B, 
of  the  Fourth. 

"  Hello,  sergeant." 

"Hello,  yourself.  What  you  doing  here?  Al> 
sent  without  leave,  eh?  " 

"  I  came  with  Captain  McKenzie  in  the  charge. 
How'd  you  get  up  ?  " 

"  Oh,  I  just  wanted  to  look  around.  The  bri- 
gade halted  below  for  orders ;  and  after  a  scrimmage 
I  ran  up  the  steps." 

"  Will  we  take  the  city,  now,  you  think?  " 

"  It's  the  time,"  said  Sergeant  Reeves,  who  was 
a  quiet  man,  enlisted  from  Ohio.  "  You'll  see  the 
First  Division  go  in  by  the  San  Cosme  gate  be- 
fore sundown." 

"  Have  you  had  much  fighting,  sergeant?  " 

"  Considerable  with  what  force  was  left  us.  We 
managed  to  get  along  after  you  quit  us.  One  drum- 
mer more  or  less — what  does  that  amount  to?  I 
hear  that  a  general  court-martial  is  going  to  sit  on 
you,"  And  Sergeant  Reeves  laughed.  "  Well,  we 
were  ordered  to  turn  Chapultepec  by  the  north  and 
cut  off  the  enemy  in  that  quarter.  Magruder's  bat- 
tery section  got  in  a  tight  place  in  the  advance. 
Lieutenant  Jackson  lost  all  his  horses  and  half  his 
men  by  grape.  The  Fourteenth  Infantry  supported, 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

and  Trousdale,  its  colonel,  was  shot  twice.  But  the 
road's  open  to  the  next  turn  for  the  city." 

The  reinforcements  from  the  hill  of  Chapultepec 
caught  up  with  the  main  column.  The  stormers 
rejoined  their  companies.  Drum  Major  Brown 
scowled  at  Jerry  as  he  fell  in  with  the  field  music 
of  the  Fourth,  but  had  no  time  to  say  anything,  for 
there  were  orders. 

With  the  First  Brigade  leading,  and  the  Fourth 
Infantry  as  honor  regiment  at  its  head,  the  column 
marched  by  platoons  on  up  the  wide  San  Cosme  road, 
divided  through  the  middle  by  the  stone  arches  of  the 
aqueduct.  Six  companies  of  Second  Dragoons, 
under  Major  Sumner,  closed  the  rear,  behind 
Duncan's  battery. 

Mexican  breastworks  had  been  erected  across  the 
road  before.  They  reached  from  ditch  to  ditch. 
The  Fourth  Infantry  was  deployed  on  right  and  left 
as  skirmishers,  and  stealing  from  arch  to  arch  the 
men  advanced. 

But  the  battery  had  been  abandoned.  In  the 
final  rush  there  were  only  a  few  scattered  shots  from 
skulkers.  The  Fourth  deployed  again,  Company  B 
first,  and  presently  was  fronted  by  a  second  battery, 
located  where  the  San  Cosme  road  and  aqueduct  en- 
tered a  road  from  the  west  and  turned  with  it  straight 
east  for  the  city. 

The  battery  parapet  had  a  single  embrasure  for 
one  gun.  But  at  the  juncture  of  the  two  roads 
houses  began,  facing  the  south  and  then  soon  extend- 
ing thicker  and  thicker  on  both  sides  of  the  road  clear 
to  the  San  Cosme  gateway,  five  hundred  yards.  The 
flat  roofs  were  protected  by  sandbags  and  fringed 
29* 


FORCING  THE  CITY  GATES 

with  the  red  caps  of  Mexican  sharp-shooters.  The 
battery  and  the  fortified  roofs  looked  like  an  ugly 
obstacle,  especially  as  the  Fourth  Regiment  skir- 
mishers were  working  along  swiftly  and  leaving  the 
column  behind. 

Captain  Gore  and  Lieutenant  Grant,  of  Company 
B,  were  well  ahead  of  the  skirmishers.  Bullets  droned 
in,  glancing  among  the  arches.  On  the  west  side  of 
the  San  Cosme  road,  where  it  met  the  road  from  the 
west,  there  stood  a  house  in  a  large  yard  enclosed 
by  a  wall.  The  wall  skirted  both  roads.  Now  Lieu- 
tenant Grant  had  daringly  darted  across  to  the  south 
end  of  the  yard,  scurried  along  the  wall  to  the  south- 
west corner,  and  turning  it,  disappeared. 

He  came  running  back  to  the  road ;  must  have 
called  for  volunteers.  The  skirmishers  of  the  Fourth 
fired  briskly  at  the  red  caps  upon  the  nearest  roof- 
tops. Under  cover  of  the  firing  a  dozen  men  bolted 
to  the  lieutenant;  at  a  trail  arms  they  all  followed 
along  the  wall  again  and  turned  the  outside  corner. 
A  company  of  the  Second  Artillery  sprang  out  of  a 
ditch  there  and  joined  them. 

In  about  ten  minutes  there  was  a  volley  from 
the  road  beyond  the  one  house  and  the  battery. 
The  Mexicans  upon  the  roofs  overlooking  leaped  off 
and  scampered  for  positions  eastward.  The  battery 
was  evacuated  in  a  jiffy.  The  Lieutenant  Grant 
squad  and  the  Second  Artillery  company  appeared 
in  the  rear  of  the  battery;  by  rushes  among  the 
arches  of  the  aqueduct  they  pursued  the  Mexicans. 

With  a  yell  the  Fourth  charged  to  the  support. 
Huzzah !  More  roofs  were  being  emptied.  The  road 
east  to  the  city  gate  opened.  On,  men !  On !  Third 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

Sergeant  Bloss  forged  to  the  fore  with  the  regimental 
colors.  The  men  tore  after,  Jerry  and  nimble  little 
Tommy  Jones  footing  with  the  fastest.  It  was  a 
go-as-you-please,  for  the  field  music  and  all.  Look 
out!  Look  out!  Another  battery — and  ready  for 
action,  too.  A  blast  of  grape  whistled  down  the 
road,  rattled  against  the  arches  in  which  the  men 
sought  cover.  Steady,  men!  Watch  sharp.  He's 
up  to  mischief  this  time. 

"  Bang!  "  A  cry  arose.  Bloss  was  flat!  The 
grape  had  met  him  when,  bearing  the  colors,  with 
the  color  guard  he  had  made  a  dash  for  shelter  of 
a  vacant  house  across  the  road.  The  tattered  blue 
and  gold  banner  of  the  Fourth  was  in  the  dust.  Out 
charged  the  Mexican  infantry,  yelling  like  Indians, 
to  capture  the  flag.  That  would  be  a  trophy  indeed. 
In  charged  the  nearest  men  of  the  Fourth  to  rescue 
it.  Bullets  flew,  hissing  and  spattering. 

Jerry  thought  of  nothing  but  the  flag.  Some- 
how, there  he  was,  clutching  at  it  in  the  hurly-burly 
— helped  by  Tommy  Jones,  was  dragging  it  aside, 
while  bullets  sang  in  his  ears  and  bayonets  clashed 
over  him.  And  entirely  out  of  breath  he  was  safely 
behind  an  arch,  and  delivering  the  flag  to  Cap- 
tain Gore! 

"  You'll  get  mention  for  this,  sir,"  the  captain 
panted.  "  The  regiment  would  have  been  eternally 
disgraced."  He  ran  for  the  melee  again. 

"  Are  you  hurt,  Tommy?  "  Jerry  gasped.  With 
a  word  and  a  slap  on  the  shoulder  Corporal  Finerty 
had  taken  the  flag  to  carry  it. 

"  No,"  said  Tommy.    "  And  you  saved  the  honor 
of  the  regiment.     You  were  there  first." 
9*9 


FORCING  THE  CITY  GATES 

"  You  helped." 

"  Bet  you'll  never  be  hauled  on  the  carpet  for 
skipping  off  this  morning,"  said  Tommy. 

And  Jerry  rather  thought  the  same.  Whew !  If 
the  Mexicans  had  got  that  Fourth  Infantry  flag, 
which  had  been  pierced  with  twenty-six  balls  at 
Monterey  and  as  many  more  at  Churubusco  and 
the  King's  Mill ! 

The  regiment  and  the  Second  Artillery  company 
had  taken  the  breastworks,  but  the  drummers  before 
were  beating  the  recall.  The  Fourth  numbered  only 
two  hundred  and  fifty  men,  the  Second  Artillery  com- 
pany only  forty.  The  scant  three  hundred  of  them 
were  here  alone,  fronting  the  garita  or  gate  of  San 
Cosme,  not  more  than  two  hundred  and  fifty  yards 
down  the  road. 

Between  the  breastworks  and  the  garita  the  road 
was  lined  on  both  sides  with  the  stone,  flat-roofed 
houses,  defended  by  sandbag  parapets  and  the  Mexi- 
can infantry.  Another  battery  at  the  gate  com- 
menced to  pepper  the  road.  Grape  and  canister 
whizzed  by. 

"Fall  back,  men!  Fall  back!  We  can't  hold 
this  now." 

Running  and  dodging  and  pausing  to  fire,  the 
Fourth  and  Captain  Horace  Brooks'  artillery  com- 
pany withdrew  by  way  of  the  arches  and  the  last 
houses.  Laughing  and  puffing,  they  reached  the 
head  of  the  main  column. 

General  Worth  had  halted  the  column  at  the 

juncture  of  the  road  from  the  south  and  tlfe  road 

from  the  west,  beside  a  large  cemetery  called  the 

Campo  Santo.  The  cemetery  was  the  one  used  by 

299 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

the  English  residents  of  the  city  for  burying  their 
dead.  General  Scott  and  his  staff  had  come  up. 
He  and  General  Worth  were  sitting  their  horses  at  the 
head  of  the  column  and  surveying  the  road,  which 
from  here  stretched  eastward  five  hundred  yards 
through  the  suburbs  to  the  San  Cosme  gate. 

"  You  will  press  right  on,  general/*  Old  Fuss 
and  Feathers  abruptly  said.  "  Carry  the  gateway  in 
the  shortest  time  possible  and  penetrate  as  far  as  the 
Alameda,  three  squares  from  the  grand  plaza.  Gen- 
eral Cadwalader  is  on  his  way  and  will  act  as  reserve 
while  holding  his  brigade  here  in  the  Campo  Santo. 
Siege  guns  have  been  ordered  up  for  you." 

That  was  all.  General  Scott  galloped  back  to- 
ward Chapultepec.  The  Cadwalader  Voltigeurs 
and  the  Eleventh  and  Fourteenth  Infantry  were 
double-quicking  in,  bringing  the  Reno  howitzers. 
The  Eleventh  and  Fourteenth  proceeded  to  take 
position  in  the  Campo  Santo.  The  Voltigeurs  were 
directed  to  support  the  howitzers  and  attack  with  the 
First  Division.  The  dragoons  had  been  ordered  to 
guard  Tacubaya  headquarters,  it  was  said. 

Jerry  felt  hungry.  The  sun  marked  mid-after- 
noon already.  There  was  very  heavy  gunfire  in  the 
southeast  around  the  Belen  gate.  Clouds  of  smoke 
enveloped  the  gate.  The  Quitman  column  had 
stormed — officers  with  glasses  were  insisting  that  the 
gate  had  been  forced  and  that  the  Mexicans  were 
trying  to  drive  the  Quitman  column  out.  But  the 
First  Division  had  its  own  work  now. 

"  Colonel  Garland !"  Lieutenant  and  Aide-de- 
Camp  Pemberton,  from  General  Worth,  was  deliver- 
ing orders.  "  By  direction  of  the  division  com- 
300 


FORCING  THE  CITY  GATES 

mander  you  will  kindly  equip  a  sufficient  detachment 
of  your  brigade  with  pickaxes  and  crowbars,  advance 
your  column  by  the  right  of  the  road  to  the  first  occu- 
pied building,  and  using  your  sappers  hew  a  way 
straight  through  the  line  to  the  gate.  The  same 
methods  as  at  Monterey,  colonel.  When  you  reach 
your  objective  break  through  the  roof  and  open  fire 
from  above  the  gate.  The  Second  Brigade  will  be 
doing  likewise  on  your  left." 

The  First  Brigade,  which  had  been  hugging  the 
aqueduct  arches,  cheered  the  orders.  The  detach- 
ment of  sappers  was  told  off,  and  supporting  the 
pick-and-crow  men  the  Fourth  Infantry,  followed  by 
the  Second  and  Third  Artillery,  rushed  for  the  first 
house.  The  skirmishers  deployed,  seeking  cover  be- 
hind walls  and  sheds  while  they  busily  popped  at  the 
Mexican  red  caps  upon  the  roofs. 

The  sappers  hacked  holes  through  the  side  of  the 
house;  by  squads  the  men  dived  in.  Jerry  stayed 
out  with  the  rest  of  Company  B,  his  eye  again  glued 
to  Lieutenant  Grant. 

Through  the  houses,  and  behind  walls  and  around 
corners,  the  First  Brigade  slowly  traveled  on.  The 
houses  stood  more  and  more  closely,  so  that  the  bur- 
rowers  darted  safely  across  the  narrow  spaces.  The 
enemy  atop  was  helpless  to  stop  them — and  had  no 
time  to  attend  to  them  anyway.  Jerry  soon  over- 
took Lieutenant  Grant,  who  had  halted  at  one  side 
and  was  gazing  before  from  the  angle  of  a  gar- 
den wall. 

He  saw  Jerry  at  his  elbow. 

"You're  here,  are  you,  young  bodyguard?*' 

"  Yes,  sir." 

301 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

"  That's  all  right.  I  can  use  you.  Supposing 
some  of  us  mounted  a  light  gun  in  the  belfry  of  that 
church  yonder.  We  ought  to  do  execution.  What 
do  you  think  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir.  That  would  be  a  fine  place/'  Jerry 
agreed. 

The  church  was  located  one  hundred  yards  to- 
ward the  ctiy  wall  and  off  at  the  south  side  of  the 
road.  It  had  a  flat  roof  and  a  belfry;  but  the  Mexi- 
can sharpshooters  favored  the  houses  that  com- 
manded the  road  and  had  let  the  church  alone. 

Lieutenant  Grant  acted  at  once. 

"  Very  well,  we'll  try  it  if  we  can  get  the  gun. 
You  run  back,  sir,  to  the  howitzer  battery,  and  ask 
for  a  gun  and  gun  crew.  Tell  them  I'll  be  respon- 
sible for  the  report  to  General  Worth." 

Jerry  ran,  ducking,  and  wondering  whether  he 
would  have  to  cross  that  fearful  road  up  which  iron 
and  lead  were  streaming  from  the  San  Cosme  gate 
battery.  He  was  lucky;  met,  first,  a  lieutenant  of 
Voltigeurs — 

"  Here !   Where  you  going,  bub?  " 

"  I  want  a  howitzer,  sir.  I'm  under  orders  from 
Lieutenant  Grant,  of  the  Fourth." 

"  You  are  ?    What's  the  trouble  ?  " 

"  He's  going  to  put  it  in  the  belfry  of  that  church, 
sir.  Then  we'll  be  above  the  roofs  and  the  gate." 

The  lieutenant  took  a  look.  He  was  as  smart  as 
a  whip. 

"  By  thunder,  a  good  idea!  I'll  get  the  howitzer. 
You  wait  here." 

"  And  a  squad  to  serve  it,  sir,"  Jerry  anxiously 
called  after. 

302 


FORCING  THE  CITY  GATES 

"  Oh,  we'll  serve  it,  you  bet  1 " 

The  lieutenant  returned  at  full  speed  with  the 
gun  dismantled  and  a  squad  carrying  the  pieces. 
Lieutenant  Grant's  face  lighted  as  he  saw  them  hust- 
ling in  to  him. 

"  Now  for  it,  then !    You're  Lieutenant ?  " 

"Lieutenant  Fry,  of  the  Voltigeurs." 

"  I'm  Grant,  of  the  Fourth  Infantry.  Shall  you 
take  command,  or  I,  sir?  " 

"  You,  of  course,  lieutenant." 

"  Follow  me  with  the  gun,  men." 

They  all  made  a  wide  detour  to  the  south  to  avoid 
bullets.  The  ground  was  a  marshy  meadowland, 
knee-deep  with  ooze,  and  cut  by  the  usual  ditches, 
some  of  them  breast  deep.  But  nobody  stopped  for 
these.  When  they  arrived  at  the  church  they  were 
a  slimy  party.  The  rear  door  was  locked.  Lieuten- 
ant Grant  rapped  with  the  hilt  of  his  sword.  A  priest 
opened,  for  barely  a  crack. 

"  You  speak  Spanish?  "  the  lieutenant  asked  of 
Jerry. 

"  Yes,  sir." 

"  Good !  Tell  the  father  that  we  wish  to  get 
inside." 

"  He  says  that  he's  sorry,  but  it's  impossible  at 
this  hour,"  Jerry  interpreted  after  the  priest's  answer. 

"  Tell  him  that  nothing  is  impossible  to  Ameri- 
cans. Tell  him  we  regret  to  trouble  him  and  we  do 
not  wish  to  damage  property  needlessly,  but  if  he 
doesn't  open  the  door  we'll  break  it  down  and  he 
may  find  himself  a  prisoner." 

The  priest  opened  and  stood  aside.  He  did  not 
look  especially  friendly  as  they  trooped  by  him.  Up 
303 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

into  the  belfry  they  climbed,  led  still  by  Lieutenant 
Grant.  The  men  had  hard  work  to  hoist  the  pieces 
of  the  howitzer  up  the  ladder,  but  they  did  it  They 
put  the  barrel  upon  the  carriage  and  the  carriage 
upon  the  wheels,  and  proceeded  to  pass  up  the  pow- 
der cartridges  and  shells. 

When  the  gun  had  been  assembled  and  the  gun 
squad  was  prepared,  the  belfry  had  little  spare 
space  in  it 

The  gun  was  loaded,  pointed — Lieutenant  Grant 
himself -squinted  over  the  barrel.  He  stood  back. 

"  Give  it  to  'em !  "  he  barked.    "  Fire !  " 

"  Bang !"  The  lock  string  had  been  jerked.  The 
shell  flew  true;  exploded  in  the  very  midst  of  the 
gateway  battery. 

It  created  a  little  panic.  The  Mexicans  seemed 
to  think  that  it  had  dropped  from  the  sky.  The 
belfry  squad  cheered  and  reloaded. 

"Bang!" 

The  lieutenant  occasionally  changed  to  the  roof- 
tops and  sprinkled  them  with  canister.  He  was 
enjoying  himself  immensely.  So  was  Lieutenant 
Fry.  Jerry  likewise  was  glad  that  he  had  come. 
Below  the  belfry  the  whole  battlefield  was  outspread. 
The  church  was  almost  directly  south  of  the  breast- 
works that  had  been  taken  and  left  again.  The 
gateway — arched  over  between  towers,  was  too 
hundred  and  fifty  yards  at  the  rear  of  the  breast- 
works. It  had  mounted  a  heavy  gun  and  a  howitzer, 
emplaced  behind  sandbags  and  stone  abutments  and 
scoured  the  road  with  shell  and  canister  and  grape. 
The  square  towers  and  the  parapets  of  the  wall  on 
either  side  of  the  gate  were  volleying  with  musketry ; 
304 


FORCING  THE  CITY  GATES 

the  roofs  of  the  houses  along  the  road  gushed  smoke. 
The  figures  of  the  Mexican  defenders,  lying  flat  or 
crouching,  or  stealing  from  point  to  point,  could  be 
plainly  seen  amidst  smoke  spume. 

Up  the  street  there  were  the  Voltigeurs,  support- 
ing the  howitzers  and  springing  from  arch  to  arch. 
Duncan's  battery,  posted  farther  back  but  gradually 
coming  nearer,  was  responding  hotly  to  the  Mexican 
battery.  In  the  yards  of  the  houses  the  skirmishers 
of  the  Fourth,  and  of  the  Second  and  Third  Artillery, 
darted  hither  thither,  picking  off  the  Mexican  sharp- 
shooters before  them;  every  now  and  then  the  bur- 
rowing squads  burst  out  in  a  new  spot. 

Across  the  street  the  Clarke  brigade  was  doing 
the  same  work.  A  second  howitzer  had  been  mounted 
upon  a  high  roof  over  there,  in  rivalry  with  Lieu- 
tenant Grant's  howitzer.  It,  too,  was  dropping 
shells  into  the  enemy. 

And  yonder,  a  mile  and  a  half  or  two  miles  in 
the  southeast  at  the  Belen  gate,  the  other  battle  was 
being  waged,  where  the  General  Quitman  column 
appeared  to  have  gained  a  foothold. 

The  sun  was  touching  the  western  horizon.  The 
ammunition  for  the  little  howitzer  was  almost  spent. 
But  a  great  cheer  arose  from  below.  They  gazed 
quickly.  Drawn  by  galloping  horses,  the  gunners 
astride  and  lashing,  or  sitting  upon  the  caisson,  a  six- 
pounder  from  Duncan's  battery  was  charging  down 
the  road  for  the  abandoned  breastworks. 

The  city  gate  spouted  flame  and  smoke  afresh. 

Every  Mexican  musket,  as  seemed,  was  brought  to 

bear  upon  the  bounding,  thundering  gun.     Would 

the  gun  make  it — would  it — would  it  ?    The  two  lead 

20  305 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

horses  were  fairly  lifted  from  their  feet  by  the  canis- 
ter; the  other  two  horses  dragged  them,  a  mass  of 
mangled  flesh.  The  gunners  astride  had  been  hurled 
from  their  seats;  the  caisson  showed  gaps,  as  the 
gunners  sitting  upon  it  wilted.  Down  sprawled  the 
horse  of  the  young  officer  who  commanded.  He  stag- 
gered to  his  feet  and  ran  on.  An  instant  more  and 
the  gun  was  safely  within  the  shelter  of  the  battery 
parapet — was  being  unlimbered  and  turned  muzzle  to 
muzzle  with  the  gateway  guns. 

Of  the  nine  artillerists,  five  were  out  of  action. 

"  That,"  said  Lieutenant  Grant,  breathing  fast, 
"  is  Lieutenant  Harry  Hunt,  of  the  Second.  I 
never  saw  a  braver  deed." 

The  roofs  of  the  houses  had  been  cleared  well- 
nigh  to  the  city  wall.  Lieutenant  Hunt's  gun  opened 
point  blank  upon  the  gateway  battery.  And  listen ! 
See!  There  was  another  great  cheer — suddenly 
the  roofs  right  against  the  wall  on  either  side  of  the 
gate  had  upheaved,  a  torrent  of  blue  caps  and  blue 
jackets  spurted  out  like  bursts  of  water,  and  broke 
white  with  a  terrific  fire  into  the  gateway  battery 
and  even  over  the  wall  itself. 

The  battery  was  silenced  in  a  moment  as  the 
gunners  fell  or  frantically  scuttled  back  through 
the  arched  passage.  Lieutenant  Hunt's  gun  again 
belched  grape.  And  here  came  the  stormers,  out 
from  among  the  houses  and  down  the  road,  yelling, 
firing,  pouring  through  between  the  gate  towers. 

"  The  gate's  taken,  and  so  is  the  city,"  Lieuten- 
ant Grant  rapped.     "  Come  on,  Fry.     We'd  better 
join  our  commands.     Disassemble  the  piece,  men, 
and  report  with  it  to  Lieutenant  Reno." 
306 


FORCING  THE  CITY  GATES 

He  and  Lieutenant  Fry  and  Jerry  tumbled  be- 
low; ran  for  the  road.  The  Fourth  Infantry  was 
well  inside  the  gate;  the  men,  breathless,  laughing, 
peering,  asking  what  next.  Save  for  a  few  shots  the 
place  was  singularly  silent.  General  Worth  arrived 
in  haste. 

"What  regiment  is  this?" 

"  Fourth  Infantry,  sir.'* 

"God  bless  the  Fourth  Infantry.  Where's 
Major  Lee?  Hold  your  position,  major;  you  will 
be  supported." 

"B'  gorry,  first  in,  an'  here  we  stay,"  cried 
old  Sergeant  Mulligan.  "  Hooray  for  the  Fourth !  " 

The  enemy  was  rallying.  His  bugles  pealed,  his 
officers  were  shouting  and  urging,  a  column  boiled 
into  the  street  before.  As  quick  as  thought  the 
two  guns  of  the  gateway  battery  had  been  reversed 
-"  Clear  the  way,  there !  " — and  a  shower  of  grape 
scattered  the  column. 

The  bugles  sounded  again,  with  the  Mexican 
signal  for  recall. 

The  other  regiments  thronged  in:  the  Second 
Artillery,  the  Sixth  Infantry,  the  Eighth  (with  Han- 
nibal rolling  his  drum  and  cheering  lustily),  the 
Third  Artillery,  the  Fifth  Infantry,  the  Voltigeurs; 
all  the  Worth  foot.  Then,  after  the  troops  had 
been  assigned  to  position,  Captain  Huger,  of  the 
ordnance,  and  two  heavy  guns,  a  twenty-four- 
pounder  and  a  ten-inch  mortar  came  on;  were 
planted  in  the  gateway,  General  Worth  overseeing. 

Save  for  the  tolling  of  bells,  the  distant  cries  of 
frightened  people,  and  the  muffled  notes  of  Mexican 
drums  and  bugles,  the  city  was  cjuie.t  Now  what?" 
307 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

"Get  your  range  by  the  map,  captain,"  spoke 
General  Worth  to  Captain  Huger.  "  Then  throw  a 
few  shell  in  the  direction  of  the  plaza  and  capital 
buildings.  I  don't  particularly  care  where  they 
land,  as  long  as  they  notify  the  authorities  that  we 
are  here  and  have  the  city  at  our  mercy." 

"  Cut  your  fuses  for  sixteen  hundred  yards," 
Captain  Huger  ordered.  "With  shell,  load!" 

"  Number  One,  ready !    Fire ! " 
"  Boom! "     The     twenty-four-pounder     had 
spoken.    "  Crash !  " 

"  Number  Two,  ready!    Fire! " 

' '  Boom-m ! ' '    And — Crash  !  " 

That  was  the  big  mortar  bomb.  Darkness  had 
gathered.  The  flames  from  the  two  guns  redly  illu- 
minated the  gateway  littered  with  spoil — shone  upon 
the  bodies  of  the  Mexican  gunners  who  had  fallen, 
rammers  in  hands;  the  explosions  of  the  shells 
lighted  the  roofs  and  towers  in  the  center  of  the 
city,  almost  a  mile  eastward.  The  distant  cries  of 
alarm  echoed  anew.  Thfeef  shells  were  thrown 
from  the  twenty- four-pounder,  five  from  the  mortar. 

"  That  will  do,"  General  Worth  bade. 

An  aide  from  General  Scott  raced  in. 

"  General  Worth !  The  general  commanding 
sends  his  compliments,  and  the  information  that 
General  Quitman  is  in  possession  of  the  Belen  gate- 
way. You  are  directed  to  entrench  yourself  here 
before  the  San  Cosme  gate,  and  await  further  orders 
in  preparation  for  a  final  assault  in  the  morning, 
if  necessary." 

General  Worth  smiled. 

"  My  compliments  to  General  Scott,    As  you  see, 
308 


FORCING  THE  CITY  GATES 

we  have  entered  the  city  and  have  a  clear  road  to  the 
plaza.  My  instructions  were  to  penetrate  as  far  as 
the  Alameda;  but  owing  to  the  darkness  we  will 
establish  ourselves  where  we  are,  and  march  on 
by  daylight." 

The  aide  delayed  a  moment. 

"General  Quitman  forced  the  Belen  gate  shortly 
after  one  o'clock,  general,"  he  said.  "  But  he  has 
been  held  fast  ever  since,  unable  to  advance  by 
reason  of  batteries  opposing  him.  My  congratula- 
tions to  you,  sir." 

"  He  was  simply  to  threaten  the  gate,  I  under- 
stood." 

"  I  had  the  honor  of  bearing  him  those  very 
instructions,"  laughed  the  aide;  "with  the  com- 
mander-in-chief  s  compliments.  But  before  I  had 
delivered  the  message  he  snapped :  '  Tell  General 
Scott  I  have  no  time  to  listen  to  compliments/  and 
on  he  went." 

"Well,  sir,"  General  Worth  responded,  "you 
will  please  inform  Major-General  Scott  that  there  is 
nothing  to  obstruct  my  command  in  a  forward  move- 
ment to  the  plaza  at  daybreak." 

The  Colonel  Riley  brigade,  of  the  Fourth  Artil- 
lery, Second  and  Seventh  Infantry,  and  Taylor's 
battery,  from  'the  Second  Division,  marched  in. 
This  night  the  Fourth  Infantry  was  quartered  in  a 
large  house  on  the  main  street  from  the  gateway. 
The  men  reveled  in  the  luxury  of  soft  beds,  thick 
carpets,  and  rich  food.  They  searched  the  rooms 
for  money  but  found  none;  and  they  did  nothing 
worse  than  pillage  a  pantry  of  sweet  preserves. 
309 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL 

Major  Lee  and  invited  officers  fell  heirs  to  a 
supper  waiting  for  one  of  the  Mexican  generals. 

Jerry  met  Pompey  wandering  about,  his  black 
face  smeared. 

"  Am  dis  one  ob  the  Halls  ob  Montyzumy  ?  " 
Pompey  asked. 

"  I  don't  think  so,  Pompey.  But  we'll  be  there 
in  the  morning." 

"  Not  dis  chile.  No,  suh !  You-all  can  have 
the  rest  ob  dose  Halls ;  I  gwine  to  stay  hyar  as  long 
as  dar's  any  platters  to  lick." 


XXIV 

IN  THE  HALLS  OF  MONTEZUMA 

AT  reveille  it  was  reported  that  shortly  after 
midnight  the  mayor  and  city  council  had  surrendered 
the  city  to  General  Worth.  They  said  that  Santa 
Anna  had  withdrawn  his  army  into  the  country. 
General  Worth  forwarded  the  delegates  to  General 
Scott  at  Tacubaya,  and  he  had  just  been  directed 
to  march  his  troops  to  the  Alameda.  The  Quitman 
column  was  to  occupy  the  plaza  and  raise  the  flag. 

This  seemed  hard,  but  General  Quitman  had 
been  first  to  seize  a  gate,  and  had  lost  heavily. 
Besides,  with  his  Mohawks  and  Marines  he  had 
guarded  the  rear,  at  San  Augustine,  through  a  long 
period,  while  other  troops  were  winning  honors. 

The  First  Division,  the  Voltigeurs  and  the  Riley 
brigade  were  halted  in  column  of  companies  in  the 
green  square  or  Alameda.  Now  all  the  way  on 
to  the  plaza,  three  blocks,  the  broad  street  was 
crowded  with  the  Mexican  citizens,  jostling  along 
the  walks  and  thronging  the  balconies.  The  front 
of  many  of  the  buildings  flew  the  neutral  flags  of 
England,  France,  Spain,  Portugal,  Italy. 

At  seven  o'clock  music  was  heard  and  cheering. 
The  Quitman  column  appeared  in  sight:  the  hand- 
some General  Quitman  and  bluff  General  Twiggs, 
and  staffs,  with  escort  of  cavalry,  at  its  head ;  then 
in  serried  ranks  the  Rifles,  with  the  regimental  flags 
o£  the  First  Artillery,  the  Third  Infantry,  the  New 
Yorkers,  the  Marines,  and  the  Ninth  Infantry 
following  at  the  fore  of  their  commands.  Sections 
3" 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

of  the  Drum  and  Steptoe  batteries  rumbled  behind. 

The  drums  of  the  Worth  regiments  rolled,  the 
men  cheered  gallantly.  With  measured  tread  the 
Quitman  column  pass-ed  on,  its  bands  playing  "Hail, 
Columbia!,"  "Washington's  March,"  and  "Yankee 
Doodle."  Presently  there  was  a  still  louder  burst  of 
cheers,  and  the  united  strains  of  the  "Star  Spangled 
Banner."  From  the  flag  pole  of  the  national  palace 
the  Stars  and  Stripes  had  broken  out ;  raised,  as  was 
afterward  learned,  by  Captain  Roberts  of  the  Rifles. 
He  had  been  foremost  in  the  Quitman  storming 
columns  up  Chapultepec  hill 

Lieutenant  Beauregard,  of  the  engineers,  ban- 
daged from  a  wound,  dashed  from  the  plaza,  evi- 
dently bearing  dispatches.  About  eight  o'clock  the 
clatter  of  hoofs  sounded.  The  Dragoons  were  com- 
ing. Then — 

"  Huzzah !    Huzzah !    Huzzah !    Huzzah    for 
Old  Fuss  and  Feathers !" 

General  Scott,  plumed  and  girted  and  gloved,  in: 
full  uniform  complete,  towered  at  the  front.  Led 
by  Colonel  Harney  and  Major  Sumner,  the  dra- 
goons, their  mounted  band  in  the  advance,  at  a  carry 
sabers,  filled  the  street  from  curb  to  curb.  They,  too, 
were  spick  and  span. 

"  Hail  to  the  Chief !  "  That  was  the  tune  being 
played.  The  general  and  escort  swept  by  at  a  rapid 
trot,  while  the  bands  and  the  field  music  of  the 
Worth  column  likewise  played  "Hail  to  the  Chief." 
The  Mexican  spectators'  forgot  themselves,  and 
cheered  and  clapped.  No  one  could  deny  that  the 
chief  and  his  cavalry  made  a  splendid  sight. 

"  Column — forward — quick  time — march !  " 
312 


IN  THE  HALLS  OF  MONTEZUMA 

The  Worth  men  might  move  in  at  last.  The 
street  was  so  blocked  that  the  end  files  of  the  com- 
panies were  obliged  to  brush  the  people  from  the 
way.  In  the  plaza  the  Second  Dragoons  band  was 
playing  "  Yankee  Doodle."  The  plaza  also  was 
crowded.  There  seemed  to  be  hundreds  of  blank- 
eted, dirty  beggars  under  foot.  The  dragoons  rode 
right  and  left,  clearing  the  plaza  with  the  flats  of 
their  sabers,  but  careful  to  harm  nobody. 

"Column,  halt!" 

Just  as  General  Worth  was  about  to  give  orders 
a  volley  burst  from  the  top  of  a  building;  the  balls 
pelted  in,  aimed  at  him  and  his  staff ;  but  they  passed 
over.  Colonel  Garland  clapped  his  hand  to  his  side, 
and  in  Company  B  Lieutenant  Sidney  Smith 
sank  limply. 

As  if  the  volley  had  been  a  signal  other  shots 
sounded ;  paving  stones  rained  down.  It  looked  like 
a  trap.  Here  were  five  thousand  Americans,  almost 
the  whole  army,  in  the  plaza  and  surrounded  by 
buildings  and  two  hundred  thousand  people. 

The  orders  were  quick.  In  an  instant  Duncan's 
battery  and  the  Reno  howitzers  galloped  to  the 
plaza  corners;  Steptoe's  and  Drum's  and  Taylor's 
guns  were  being  unlimbered.  Aides  from  General 
Scott  were  spurring  hither  thither ;  skirmish  squads 
were  being  told  off,  and  ordered  to  search  the  streets 
and  buildings.  The  dragoons  galloped.  The  how- 
itzers battered  the  building  from  which  the  first 
volley  had  issued.  Now  all  around  the  plaza  there 
echoed  the  clatter  of  hoofs,  the  thud  of  running  feet, 
and  the  ringing  reports  of  musket  and  rifle. 

A  number  of  leading  Mexican  citizens  apolo- 
313 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

gized  to  General  Worth  and  General  Scott,  and 
offered  help  to  put  down  the  insurrection.  The 
trouble-makers  were  two  thousand  convicts  who 
had  been  set  free  by  Santa  Anna. 

The  firing  in  the  streets  continued  throughout 
the  day,  while  the  reserves  waited  under  arms.  At 
night  things  had  quieted  somewhat.  The  First 
Division  bivouacked  in  the  Alameda.  After  strong 
outposts  had  been  placed  the  men  might  talk  again. 
What  a  two  days,  September  13  and  14,  that  had 
been !  And  this  was  the  end  of  the  campaign  in  the 
Halls  of  Montezuma. 

The  Riley  men,  quartered  with  the  First,  could 
tell  the  news  from  the  Quitman  column.  They  had 
been  at  Chapultepec,  and  upon  the  road  to  the  Belen 
gate.  The  casualties  were  heavy.  Major  Loring, 
of  the  Rifles,  had  lost  an  arm.  The  Drum  battery 
had  been  cut  to  pieces  at  the  gate — Captain  Drum 
and  First  Lieutenant  Benjamin  killed.  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Baxter,  commanding  the  New  Yorkers,  was 
dying;  Major  Gladden,  commanding  the  Palmettos, 
was  wounded.  General  Shields'  wounded  arm  was 
in  bad  shape.  General  Pillow  would  recover ;  was  in 
the  hospital  at  Chapultepec.  The  South  Carolinans 
were  holding  the  Belen  gate;  the  Second  Pennsyl- 
vanians  were  garrisoning  the  fort  inside. 

Colonel  Garland,  it  was  said,  would  get  well ;  but 
Lieutenant  Smith  was  dead. 

Jerry  looked  at  his  own  mess.  Brave  Scotty 
MacPheel  was  gone ;  so  was  Henry  Brewer — he  had 
been  shot  down  yesterday.  Corporal  Finerty  bore 
an  honorable  wound ;  Fifer  O'Toole's  head  was  ban- 
daged— a  musket  ball  had  scraped  it 
3H 


IN  THE  HALLS  OF  MONTEZUMA 

In  taking  Chapultepec  and  the  city  ten  officers  and 
one  hundred  and  twenty  rank  and  file  had  been 
killed;  sixty-eight  officers  and  six  hundred  and 
thirty-five  rank  and  file  had  been  wounded ;  twenty- 
nine  men  were  missing;  total,  eight  hundred 
and  sixty-two,  of  whom  almost  a  tenth  were  offi- 
cers. The  loss  to  the  army  since  it  had  marched 
out  of  Puebla  was  three  hundred  and  eighty-three 
officers,  two  thousand,  three  hundred  and  twenty 
rank  and  file.  Subtracting  the  garrisons  and  rear 
guards,  Old  Fuss  and  Feathers  had  marched  into 
Mexico  City  with  less  than  six  thousand  out  of 
his  ten  thousand  with  which  he  had  left  Puebla  six 
weeks  before. 

And  according  to  estimates,  in  the  same  time  the 
Mexicans  had  lost  more  than  seven  thousand  killed 
and  wounded,  thirty-seven  hundred  prisoners  in- 
cluding thirteen  generals,  some  twenty  flags,  one 
hundred  and  thirty-two  pieces  of  artillery,  and 
twenty  thousand  small  arms. 

So  here  the  "  gringo  "  army  was. 

Instead  of  permitting  his  men  to  pillage  the 
city,  General  Scott  levied  a  money  contribution  upon 
it  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars,  for  the 
support  of  the  troops.  Adjutant  Mackall  read 
to  the  First  Division,  paraded  to  listen,  the  follow- 
ing orders : 

HEADQUARTERS  OF  THE  ARMY, 

Mexico,  Sept.  14,  1847. 
GENERAL  ORDERS  No.  284. 

I.  Under  the  favor  of  God,  the  valor  of  this 
army,  after  many  glorious  victories,  has  hoisted  the 
315 


INTO  MEXICO  WITH  GENERAL  SCOTT 

colors  of  our  country  in  the  capital  of  Mexico  and 
on  the  palace  of  the  Government. 

2.  But  the  war  is  not  ended.    The  Mexican  army 
and  Government  have  fled,  only  to  watch  an  oppor- 
tunity to  return  upon  us  in  vengeance.    We  must, 
then,  be  upon  our  guard.     Companies  and  regi- 
ments will  be  kept  together  and  all  stand  on  the 
alert.    Our  safety  is  in  military  discipline. 

3.  Let  there  be  no  drunkenness,  no  disorders, 
and  no  straggling.    Stragglers  will  be  in  great  dan- 
ger of  assassination,  and  marauders  shall  be  pun- 
ished by  court-martial. 

4.  All  the  rules  so  honorably  observed  by  this 
glorious  army  in  Puebla  must  be  observed  here.    The 
honor  of  the  army  and  the  honor  of  our  country  call 
for  the  best  behavior  on  the  part  of  all.    The  valiant 
must,  to  win  the  approbation  of  God  and  our  coun- 
try, be  sober,  orderly,  and  merciful.     My  noble 
brethren  in  arms  will  not  be  deaf  to  this  hasty  appeal 
from  their  general  and  friend. 

5.  Major-General  Quitman  is  appointed  the  civil 
and  military  Governor  of  Mexico. 

By  command  of 

MAJOR-GENERAL  SCOTT. 
H.  L.  SCOTT, 
Act'g  Ass't  Adj.  Gen. 

"  Well,  boy/*  said  Hannibal,  when  he  and  Jerry 
got  together  after  dismissal,  "you  heard  those 
orders.  Maybe  the  war's  not  ended  for  General 
Scott,  but  it's  ended  for  me.  I  want  to  rest  up." 

"  It's  ended  for  Pompey,  too,  all  right,"  Jerry 
added.  "  He's  still  crying  about  Lieutenant  Smith. 
316 


IN  THE  HALLS  OF  MONTEZUMA 

Says  he's   lost  his   '  offercer,'   and  he   wants  to 
go  home." 

"  Yes,"  Hannibal  mused.  "  And  the  war's  been 
ended  for  Lieutenant  Smith  and  a  lot  of  good  men 
before  him.  That's  the  way.  War  costs," 

END 


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